Japan treasures relations with VN: PM Shinzo Abe
VGP – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe affirmed that Japan treasures ties with Viet Nam and wishes to strengthen the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries, during his reception for Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Defence Minister of Viet Nam, in Tokyo on April 10.
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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe receives Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Defence Minister of Viet Nam, Tokyo, April 10, 2018 |
The Japanese leader welcomed the two Defence Ministries’ signing of a Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation for the next decade, stressing that the Viet Nam-Japan relations is currently in its best stage of development.
Recalling the visit to Viet Nam made by the Japanese Emperor and Empress in 2017, he expressed his gratitude for the warm and sincere reception from the Vietnamese side, while stating that the Japanese Emperor was touched by the sentiments of the Vietnamese people.
PM Abe said he hoped that the two nations would continue to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of defence, security, foreign affairs, economy, and people-to-people exchange, in the time ahead.
Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, who is on a visit to Japan at the invitation of Japanese Defence Minister Onodera Itsunori, conveyed the regards from Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc to PM Shinzo Abe.
He emphasized that Viet Nam and Japan have fostered a long-standing friendly relationship, sharing many similarities in terms of culture and customs. Japan is always a leading partner of Viet Nam in its economic development and also the largest provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam, contributing significantly to Viet Nam’s socio-economic development.
Lich affirmed that Viet Nam always speaks highly of Japan’s initiative and supports the country in strengthening cooperation with the Southeast Asian nations and the whole ASEAN bloc. He asked Japan to further contribute to safeguarding peace and stability in the region.
The Vietnamese minister informed PM Abe of the outcomes of his talks with his Japanese counterpart Onodera Itsunori, stating that the signing of a Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation would contribute to accelerating bilateral defence ties in a more extensive and substantive fashion.
Gen. Lich called for PM Shinzo Abe’s continuous support to facilitate cooperation between the two Defence Ministries in a more substantive and effective manner in the time to come.
By Vien Nhu
