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Members of Central Committee of the Party;

Representatives of Central and local agencies;

Economic Researchers;

Experts and distinguished guests in today's ceremony.

Mr. Tran Ba Duong - THACO Chairman.

Mr. Isao Iijima, special adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Today, I and Mr. Uong Chu Luu - Vice President of the Vietnamese National Assembly, together with the distinguished guests are very happy to be here to witness an important event: The Grand Opening Ceremony of THACO MAZDA Plant in the modern auto industrial park in Chu Lai, Province of Quang Nam.

As we all know, only a year ago, from a deserted land, with hardwork and help from Japan's MAZDA Motors Group, the modern Japanese-technology MAZDA THACO Plant has been completed. This is a significant event which marks the development of THACO and Quang Nam Province.

Therefore, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government, I would like to congratulate THACO Chairman Tran Ba Duong and the Corporation's employees, and Mr. Hiroshi Inoue - Representative of Mazda Motors Group. You have fulfilled your commitment to build the most modern Mazda plant in South East Asia in Quang Nam Province. This is the respect for our commitment by using decisive and specific measures with a desire to bring modern, advanced technology of the 4.0 industrial era into the Vietnamese production. In Chu Lai, Quang Nam Province, THACO Truong Hai has over 20 factories in producing and assembling car components with the latest and most advanced automated production lines using technology 4.0. In particular, in his speech, Mr. Tran Ba Duong has made the commitments to environmental protection during the production here.

It is a good thing to witness that THACO's technical staffs have grown up and mastered the technology to manufacture next-generation products of the same quality as Mazda's made-in-Japan ones. This has great significance in creating confidence for Vietnamese consumers in made-in-Vietnam cars, exporting cars and further contributing to the socio-economic development of Quang Nam Province and Vietnam.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, I acknowledge, appreciate and commend the efforts of THACO management, engineers and staffs, especially the Japanese experts, contractors who have made great efforts to finish this important work as scheduled. In particular, I commend THACO's spirit, determination and great, continuous, and consistent commitment. All of you have been so patient, creative in implementing and promoting the development of Vietnam's auto industry by increasing the localization rate and manufacturing made-in-Vietnam auto products to take part in the global value chain. My sincere thanks go to the Japanese Government, Japan's automaker Mazda, especially to Mr. Hiroshi Inoue - Mazda's Senior Managing Director, and Mazda experts who have coordinated, supported and successfully transferred technology of auto production in Vietnam, deepening the cooperation between Vietnam and Japan with the cooperation between Mazda Motors Group with THACO.

As you have known, after only 7 years of cooperation, the sales of Mazda cars sold by THACO in Vietnam have surpassed 100,000 units, making Mazda the second-best-selling Japanese car brand in the Vietnamese auto market, which is a great success for both THACO and Mazda. And this morning, we have witnessed the openings of the new Vietnam-Japan shipping route and a modern international-standard auto manufacturing plant. Along with this event, THACO also offers other services such as Logistics, Bonded Warehouse, etc. The Vietnamese automaker has now become a big corporation of private economy in Quang Nam Province and some other localities.

I propose that we should praise and value THACO's efforts, especially Mazda THACO Plant which has been inaugurated today, praise great endeavors of all staffs, especially Mr. Tran Ba Duong..

Ladies and gentlemen, the Vietnamese Government affirms the viewpoint of organizing an equal competition among auto manufacturers and assemblers, regardless of Vietnamese or foreign enterprises, towards the common goal of developing the Vietnamese auto industry, contributing to the socio-economic development of the country. The government has adopted relevant policies to balance between made-in-Vietnam cars and imported ones. As a certain, I would like to affirm that the protection of domestic car production must also stay consistent with the practices and commitments of international cooperation that Vietnam is a member of. Vietnam's auto industry has fully integrated into ASEAN in early 2018 when the import tariff of ASEAN completely built units (CBU) decreases to 0%. Accordingly, the impacts of Industrial Revolution 4.0 have posed great opportunities and challenges which have driven the investment and development of Vietnamese auto industry in the direction of global trends. In that trend, Vietnam's auto industry has emerged enterprises with great investment potential, systems, and determination to build their brands to join the value chain of the auto industry, aiming at improving product quality, at the same time protecting consumers' rights, ensuring safety, and protecting the environment, taking ASEAN and international standards as the competitive objectives, and meeting the domestic and export demands such as THACO Truong Hai and Hyundai Thanh Cong in Northern Ninh Binh Province.

Of course, these plants are much smaller than THACO Truong Hai - Chu Lai, but I believe that big manufacturers and assemblers of autos, auto parts and components have formed the Vietnamese auto industry recently.

For THACO's efficient and safe operations, I would like to propose the following issues:
First of all, with the role and responsibility of the Vietnamese leading auto manufacturer, THACO needs to have its specific plans to develop effectively, to better meet customer needs, to meet the demands of Vietnam market and export to ASEAN and world markets, at the same time to raise the localization rate in auto production, develop support industries, step by step improving the competitiveness and contributing to the development of the Vietnamese automotive industry. I would also like to request that Mazda Motors Group of Japan continues to support and transfer your production technology, especially to increase the production of components and spare parts in Vietnam, and continues to coordinate and support THACO in completing the second phase of THACO MAZDA Plant with the designed capacity of 100,000 vehicles per year as committed.

Secondly, on the side of Quang Nam Province, it is recommended that the local leaders, agencies and people continue to accompany, to create favorable conditions for enterprises to develop manufacturing, and to build up a typical and modern auto mechanical engineering industrial park, to create jobs, improve people's incomes, and contribute to the socio-economic development of Quang Nam Province and Vietnam.

Thirdly, the central departments and agencies continue to implement relevant policies and regulations to develop the auto industry and strengthen auto quality control in Vietnam, at the same time to support and solve business problems, to enhance the control of auto imports in ASEAN under ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, and to ensure the conditions to enjoy 0% import tariff in accordance with the law.

Ladies and Gentlemen, with today's event, with THACO's motivation and determination, deepened THACO-MAZDA's strategic cooperation, the Government believes that in the coming time, THACO MAZDA Plant in phase 1 will become efficiently operational and its second phase as well as other ongoing construction projects will be implemented to meet the expectations of customers, the Government, and the Vietnamese, contributively realizing the strategy of Vietnamese auto industry development. In such spirit, once again, I'd like to send best wishes to THACO MAZDA Plant for its efficient and safe operation. Wishing the strategic cooperation between THACO and MAZDA will grow strong and succeed.

Thank you very much.