Vietnamese, Japanese PM hold talks

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Japanese counterpart Suga Yoshihide in Hanoi on October 19 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his visiting Japanese counterpart Suga Yoshihide agreed on major orientations and measures to further deepen bilateral extensive strategic partnership, during their talks in Hanoi on October 19.

PM Phuc thanked the Japanese Government for providing emergency support for flood-hit victims in the central region.

He mentioned specific measures to boost bilateral ties in various areas, including connectivity between the two economies, information technology (IT) and digital transformation.

Suggesting the Japanese Government to encourage firms to invest in Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader vowed all possible support to improve business environment and help them do successful business in Vietnam.

He also proposed Japan continue providing official development assistance for Vietnam in the near future.

Suga, for his part, stressed that Japan attaches importance to ties with Vietnam, evidenced by his choosing Vietnam as the first overseas destination after taking office.

The PM spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, success in the COVID-19 fight, and becoming the ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.

Japan will continue supporting Vietnam in socio-economic development, he said, adding that he will direct collaboration in fields proposed by the Vietnamese PM, particularly in IT, as well as step up policies to help Vietnam persify supply chains.

According to him, Japan is offering technical support and medical supplies worth about 4 billion JPY to Vietnam. He said Japan will continue working closely with Vietnam in the fight against the pandemic.

He spoke highly of the bilateral human resources cooperation, and pledged to assist the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Both sides agreed to continue strengthening bilateral political trust via maintaining high-level visits and exchanges, improving the efficiency of dialogue mechanisms and ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, as well as between the two Governments and legislatures.

They vowed to apply priority travelling mechanisms between the two nations, soon resume commercial flights and restore bilateral collaboration.

The two sides will speed up the signing of mid- and long-term visions for agricultural cooperation for the next period, soon open the market for fresh Vietnamese longan and Japan’s tangerine, and increase the number of Vietnamese trainees to Japan in more fields.

The leaders consented to effectively carry out key cooperation projects, especially in climate change, response to disasters, drought and saltwater intrusion, environment protection, and e-Government building.

The Japanese PM described Vietnam as an important country in the region and in Japan’s external policy, affirming that his country will actively help Vietnam successfully hold the ASEAN Summit and related meetings in November 2020.

Host and guest vowed to work closely together at regional and international forums like ASEAN, Mekong, and the United Nations, and to promote economic connectivity mechanisms like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, security, maritime and aviation safety, and respect to law in the East Sea, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They agreed to lift the Vietnam – Japan ties to a new height, deepen joint work in perse areas, thus making active contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Following the talks, they witnessed the exchange of 12 documents worth around 4 billion USD signed between the two countries’ ministries, agencies, localities and businesses.