Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly(NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on May 1 met with visiting Japanese Prime MinisterKishida Fumio, who said he attaches great importance to promoting cooperationand exchange between the two countries’ parliaments.

PM Kishida, who is on an officialvisit to Vietnam, said he has been a member of the Japan - Vietnam ParliamentaryFriendship Alliance for more than 20 years, and that he hopes Chairman Hue withrich experience in previous posts will continue contributing to the enhancementof bilateral relations, especially in parliamentary cooperation.

Noting with satisfaction that the Vietnam - Japan ties have been thriving indifferent aspects, Hue expressed his belief that after Kishida's visit, the commonperceptions reached between the countries’ leaders and the freshly signedcooperation documents will be implemented fruitfully, opening up a newdevelopment stage for bilateral connections.

The NA of Vietnam always supports theGovernment’s commitments and actively works to perfect regulations soas to create a favourable business climate for foreign investors, includingthose from Japan, he stated.

In his capacity, he will further promote collaboration between the two legislative bodies, including increasinghigh-level mutual visits as well as exchanges between the parliaments’ specialisedagencies, the host leader affirmed, noting that the 15th-tenure NAset up the Vietnam - Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by Politburomember and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation CommissionTruong Thi Mai.

At the meeting, the two leaders shared the view that to secure substantive andeffective post-pandemic economic recovery, it is critically important to carryout investment projects, including those funded through official developmentassistance (ODA).

PMKishida said he hopes the Vietnamese parliament will keep cooperating with Japan inthis regard, and that both sides should exert joint efforts to deal withobstacles in order to effectively promote cooperation projects.

Healso highly valued his host’s efforts to strengthen parliamentary cooperationamid the COVID-19 pandemic such as by holding talks and meetings with leadersof the Japanese parliament via videoconference and in person last year.

The two sides also exchanged views onregional and international issues of common concern, agreeing to reinforcecoordination at multilateral parliamentary forums like the Inter-ParliamentaryUnion, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and the Asia-PacificParliamentary Forum (APPF).

With regard to the East Sea issue,they underscored the importance of ensuring security, safety, and freedom ofnavigation and overflight in the waters; resolving disputes by peaceful means, includingrespecting all diplomatic and legal processes and not using or threatening touse force on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); fully, comprehensively, andeffectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC); and soon finalising a code of conduct (COC).

In terms of the Ukraine situation, PMKishida welcomed the importance Vietnam attaches to the humanitarian issue andthe country’s decision to provide 500,000 USD in humanitarian aid for Ukrainevia international humanitarian organisations.

The two leaders affirmed that theircountries will work together to successfully carry out the plan to celebratethe 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023in a way that matches their Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperityin Asia.

PM Kishida said he will conveyChairman Hue’s invitation to visit Vietnam to Speakerof the House of Representatives HosodaHiroyuki and President of the House of Councillors Santo Akiko./.