Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister PhamBinh Minh and Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono co-chaired the 10th meeting ofthe Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee in Hanoi on September 13.

Both sides expressed their delight at the strong,comprehensive, and practical development of the Vietnam-Japan ExtensiveStrategic Partnership.

They agreed on the necessity of maintaining high-levelvisits and intensifying cooperation between ministries, sectors, and localitiesin all fields.

They also exchanged views on specific measures to bothrealise the outcomes of meetings by senior leaders in the past, and to preparefor upcoming visits.

Both affirmed their determination to implement the secondphase of the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative to boost Japan’s investment inVietnam, and pledged close coordination to soon put the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) into effect.

They discussed the situation of ongoing ODA projects inVietnam, as well as measures to speed up the implementation of these projectsand investment projects. They reached a consensus on stepping up cooperation inthe form of public-private partnership (PPP).

The two sides also exchanged opinions on how to developsupport and automobile industries in Vietnam; boost collaboration in trade andagriculture, and facilitate the export of Vietnam’s lychee, longan, and starapple to Japan, as well as the latter’s orange exports.

Minh thanked Japan for its ODA provision for Vietnam, hopingto receive the country’s assistance in building e-government, smart cities, andpublic administrative reform.

Kono, in turn, affirmed that Japan is very willing to backand assist Vietnam in sustainable development through improving the investmentenvironment, increasing competitiveness of industries and labour productivity,building high-quality infrastructure, and human resources training.

He committed to continued ODA provision for Vietnam in orderto develop high-quality infrastructure, step up administrative reform, andrespond to climate change.

Both sides were unanimous in maintaining cooperation inorganising activities to mark the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic tiesin 2018, thus helping foster cooperation in tourism and culture, and exchangesbetween the two countries’ people and localities. –VNA