Hanoi (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan Parliamentary Friendship GroupPham Minh Chinh had a meeting with President of the Japan-Mekong ParliamentaryFriendship Association Ryu Shionoya in Hanoi on July 27.

Chinh, who is also a Politburo member andChairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s OrganisationCommission, welcomed the working visit by the delegation of Japanese lawmakers,considering it a practical activity in a series of exchanges in 2018, especiallyas the two countries mark 45 years in their diplomatic ties.

He highly valued the sound cooperation betweenthe two legislatures, noting that the relationship between the Vietnam-JapanParliamentary Friendship Group and the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary FriendshipAlliance has been growing well.

The Vietnamese National Assembly supports the extensivestrategic partnership between the two countries which is developing strongly,comprehensively, and substantively. Additionally, the 45th founding anniversaryof the diplomatic ties this year marks an important stage in bilateralrelations with numerous achievements obtained in all fields, from politics,economy, and culture, to education and people-to-people exchange, he affirmed.

The official proposed that both countriescontinue promoting exchanges, especially between their people, youngparliamentarians, and female lawmakers. He hopes to receive support fromJapanese parliamentarians for a training project for Vietnamese officials, aswell as with administrative reforms and apparatus streamlining.

In terms of the Mekong-Japan Summit, Chinh saidsince its foundation 11 years ago, the Mekong-Japan cooperation has become moreand more effective, proving its important role in the region and bringingpractical benefits to its people.

For his part, Shionoya highlighted how, inrecent years, countries in the Mekong region have carried out projects in theEast-West Economic Corridor and Northeastern Economic Corridor programmes, alongwith making efforts to develop the regional economy. Vietnam is considered aninfluential nation in the Mekong region, contributing significantly to thelatter’s ongoing development.

He asked Vietnam to pay greater attention totraining caregivers who will be sent to work in Japan, adding that his countryis ready to share experience with Vietnam in training officials, reformingadministrative procedures, and streamlining apparatus. –VNA