Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to attend theCommemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship andCooperation and to have bilateral activities in Japan from December 15-18 willcontribute to the success of the event and to promoting the Vietnam-Japan relationswithin the framework of the newly established comprehensive strategicpartnership, according to a diplomat.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam NewsAgency on the threshold of PM Chinh’s trip, which will be made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, VietnameseAmbassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that the summit, to be held afterASEAN and Japan established their comprehensive strategic partnership inSeptember, will be a good opportunity for high-ranking leaders of ASEAN countries andJapan to review cooperation achievements, and set out orientations fordeveloping relations in the new period, matching the new relationshipframework.

This is also an opportunity for both sidesto become more aware of the significance and importance of their relations,thus improving the quality and effectiveness of their cooperation in the future, Hieusaid, adding that Vietnam is an active and proactive member in ASEAN, and it alwayssupports the strong development and closer connection of ASEAN-Japan relations.

As an active member of ASEAN, Vietnam isalways active and proactive in promoting the consolidation and enhancement of the ASEAN-Japan relations, contributing to deepening the relationship anddeveloping it in an effective, substantive, and mutually beneficial manner.

When Japan proposed organising theCommemorative Summit and establish the ASEAN-Japan comprehensive strategicpartnership in 2023, Vietnam immediately supported it, and actively and promptlycontributed to concretising these proposals, and ensuring the roadmap set outby ASEAN and Japan at the beginning of this year, stated Hieu.

The ambassador went on to say that one ofVietnam's most outstanding contributions to promoting the ASEAN-Japan relations isthat it successfully assumed the role of the coordinator of the ASEAN-Japanrelations in the 2018-2021 period, with unprecedented challenges and difficultiesdue to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam implemented coordination workcreatively, suitable to the context of the situation and cooperationneeds, bringing practical benefits to both sides, especially reflected throughJapan's contribution of 50 million USD in support of the establishment the ASEANCentre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED) announcedin 2020 when Vietnam assumed the role of the ASEAN Chair.

The upgrade of the Vietnam-Japan relations to acomprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and theworld will not only promote bilateral ties in the coming time but also activelycontribute to enhancing the ASEAN-Japan relations, bringing tangible benefits tothe people of Japan, Vietnam and ASEAN.

The Government leader’s visit will continueto create a strong driving force for further strengthening cooperation betweenthe two countries in the fields of economics, trade, investment, and labour, anddeveloping the bilateral ties in a deeper and more substantive manner, so as tobring practical benefits to the two peoples, the diplomat said./.