According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Vietnam identifies developing an international financial center in Vietnam, responding to climate change, and sustainable development as top priorities.

On the evening of April 2, receiving Mr. Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered Group, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the Group to support Vietnam in building international financial centers; provide green finance, and support the development of Vietnam's private economic sector.

Pleased to meet Mr. Bill Winters again in Vietnam after 3 years, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh thanked Standard Chartered since 2012 for being very proactive and active in playing the role of sole consultant to the Vietnamese Government on upgrading the national credit rating.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Standard Chartered for supporting relevant Vietnamese ministries and agencies in implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Vietnam and coordinating with the Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) to help Vietnam achieve its sustainable development goals.

Standard Chartered Bank has signed cooperation agreements, providing finance worth more than 8 billion USD with Vietnamese businesses and partners.

The Prime Minister said 2025 is the year Vietnam will "accelerate, break through, and reach the finish line"; set a GDP growth target of at least 8% and strive for double digits in the following years.

To achieve this goal, along with many other tasks and solutions, Vietnam identifies developing an international financial center in Vietnam, responding to climate change, and sustainable development as top priorities.

Emphasizing that Standard Chartered has been present in Vietnam for more than 120 years, with a vision for the next 100 years, the Prime Minister suggested that the Group continue to actively share experiences and consult on selecting appropriate models and solutions to develop an international financial center in Vietnam, especially consulting on institutions, policies, human resource training, management science and solutions to develop a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

At the same time, Standard Chartered will increase support for Vietnam in implementing JETP, providing credit for green development, supporting businesses in implementing projects on wind power development, green hydrogen, sustainable trade, etc.; supporting the development of Vietnam's private economic sector; promoting FDI into Vietnam and supporting Vietnamese companies to develop domestically and expand globally; continuing to advise the Vietnamese Government on the roadmap to upgrade the national credit rating to Investment grade; and proposing policy reform measures to attract high-quality investment into Vietnam, focusing on areas such as high-tech manufacturing, green agriculture, clean and renewable energy.

Thanking the Prime Minister for taking the time to receive the delegation, the General Director of Standard Chartered Group congratulated and expressed his impression of Vietnam's remarkable development as a bright spot in the context of many difficulties and challenges in the world.

Assessing Vietnam's commitments to responding to climate change, as well as its development potential, especially Vietnam's green and sustainable development strategy, Standard Chartered's CEO said that the Group is and will closely coordinate with Vietnamese agencies to accompany Vietnam in green development, especially supporting the construction of international financial centers in Vietnam as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has commented./.