Japan expected to advocate VN’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020

VGP – As the coordinator for ASEAN-Japan relations, Viet Nam will closely coordinate with Japan to strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, asserted Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh, expecting that Japan will support Viet Nam as the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020.

May 05, 2018 1:14 PM GMT+7

Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh receives Chief of Japanese Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Fumio Kishida at the Government Guest House in Ha Noi on May 4, 2018. Photo: VGP

Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh made that statement at his reception for Chairman of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Policy Research Council Fumio Kishida in Ha Noi on May 4.

Deputy PM Minh said the two countries’ political trust has been increasingly consolidated through frequent meetings and contacts between their leaders, especially both countries exchanged five high level visits last year.

He appreciated Japan’s assistance for Viet Nam’s socio-economic development and competitiveness improvement through official development assistance (ODA) and effective investment projects in Viet Nam.

The Deputy PM reaffirmed the Vietnamese Government’s consistent policy to effectively and reasonably use ODA capital while having in-depth discussions with Kishida on ODA projects funded by Japan in Viet Nam..

For his side, Mr. Kishida affirmed that Japan is willing to support Viet Nam in socio-economic development, including building high-quality infrastructure, training human resource and increasing investments in Viet Nam.

At the meeting, the two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, including the Korean Peninsula situation and the East Sea issue.

Mr. Kishida highly valued Viet Nam’s successful organization of the APEC Year 2017, making contributions to global trade liberalization and maintenance of multilateral trade regimes.

He expressed thanks to Viet Nam for its close and active cooperation in the negotiations and signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), hoping that the two sides will speed up internal procedures for the deal to come into effect soon.

Viet Nam-Japan relations were upgraded into Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia when Mr. Kishida served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan in March 2014.

By Thuy Dung