Vietnam considers Japan as one of its top strategic partners
while Japan wants to boost the strategic partnership with Vietnam.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Japanese
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida shared the view at the sixth meeting of
the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee, which they co-chaired, as well
as at their talks in Hanoi on August 1.
The two sides
discussed and agreed on measures to boost bilateral ties in a
comprehensive, effective and sustainable manner in the future by
maintaining regular exchange of visits and meetings between the two
countries’ senior leaders, promoting the role of existing dialogue
mechanisms and intensifying connection between the two sides’ ministries
and localities.
They reached a consensus on effectively
implementing agreements signed by high-level officials, particularly
major infrastructure projects such as the North-South Highway, Lach
Huyen port in Hai Phong city, and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant.
Fumio Kishida affirmed that Japan continues
considering Vietnam as a leading partner in official development
assistance (ODA). T he Japanese Government continues maintaining a high
level of ODA provision for Vietnam , focusing on supporting growth,
enhancing competitiveness, improving market economy mechanism, training
human resources and preventing natural disasters, he said.
Minh highly valued the Japan government’s commitment to maintaining
the provision of its ODA at a high level for Vietnam , including the
signing of a diplomatic note of exchange on a non-refundable aid worth
500 million JPY (4.86 million USD) to ensure maritime safety and a
353-million-JPY grant for a human resources development scholarship
programme in 2014.
Minh reaffirmed the Vietnamese Government’s
commitment to effectively use Japan’s ODA so as to further promote
the socio-economic development.
Both sides also agreed to
continue collaboration to improve investment environment in Vietnam ,
speed up public-private partnership model, and strengthen connection in
trade, human resources training, science technology, climate change,
culture and people-to-people exchange.
They noted with
satisfaction over the growing agricultural cooperation between the two
countries in recent times and examined ways to carry out a number of
projects such as Bach Dang Bridge, Can Tho University, Vietnam –
Japan University.
Minh thanked the Japanese Government for facilitating the grant of entry visa for Vietnamese citizens in recent years.
Fumio
Kishida affirmed to continue assisting Vietnam in implementing its
Industrialisation Strategy and the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative.
The two ministers agreed to intensify cooperation in regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Vietnam welcomes Japan’s active and constructive contribution to
peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the
world, Minh stated.
Both also shared the view
that that parties concerned should settle disputes in the East Sea
through peaceful dialogues on the basis of international law, especially
the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, abiding by
the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and
working towards the formation of a Code of Conduct.
The outcome of the sixth meeting of the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation
Committee and the talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Pham Binh Minh and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida significantly
contributed to further strengthening extensive strategic partnership
between the two nations.-VNA