Japan provides US$2.5 million to help cope with climate change

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan on May 28, 2016. Photo: VGP

The two PMs expressed their pleasure at the vigorous and substantial progress of the bilateral ties, especially in such fields like economy, agriculture, locality-to-locality exchanges over the past time.

PM Phuc congratulated Japan on successfully hosting the G7 summit and the expanded G7 summit while reiterating Viet Nam’s consistent policy of regarding Japan as a top and long-term partner.

Meanwhile, PM Abe spoke highly of the remarks delivered by PM Phuc at the expanded G7 summit, affirming that his country attaches importance to the relationship with Viet Nam.

The two sides agreed to foster political trust through maintaining regular exchange of high-level visits and contacts, improve the effectiveness of the bilateral dialogue mechanisms, and intensify security and defense cooperation and close coordination in UN peacekeeping operations and overcoming war consequences.

The two leaders also agreed to work closely together to deliberate on concrete measures to push up the connectivity of the two economies, including resource and manpower connectivity.

PM Abe pledged to continue official development assistance to support Viet Nam’s efforts in socio-economic and infrastructure development as well as climate change adaptation.

He committed to collaborating with Viet Nam to deploy the US$110 billion investment plan for high-quality infrastructure development in Asia.

Both sides agreed to coordinate in beefing up Japan’s investment in Viet Nam through effective implementation of the 6^th phase of the Viet Nam-Japan Joint Initiative in 2016 and the Viet Nam Industrialization Strategy within the Viet Nam-Japan Cooperation Framework until 2020 with a vision to 2030.

The two countries agreed to step up progress of key projects, including the North-South Expressway and the Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant.

Regarding climate change adaptation, the Japanese PM announced to provide a non-refunded aid of nearly US$2.5 million to Viet Nam to address severe droughts and saltwater intrusion while standing ready to mull over official development assistance for the Southeast Asian country to build dams and reservoirs .

For regional and international issues of common concern, PM Abe vowed to coordinate closely with Viet Nam to prepare for the APEC Year 2017.

The two PMs shared the deep concern of the international community over the recent situation in the East Sea, especially large-scale construction activities.

They underlined the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of aviation and navigation in the East Sea.

Relevant parties must take no actions aimed at changing the status quo, complicating and expanding disputes, and militarizing in the East Sea; settle disputes through peaceful measures and respect diplomatic and legal processes; strictly comply with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and accelerate the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing ceremony of a number of cooperation documents and co-chaired a press conference to brief about the outcomes of their talks.