Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe have reachedhigh consensus on major orientations and specific measures to push forward thecomprehensive, practical and effective development of the bilateral extensivestrategic partnership.
During their talks following thewelcome ceremony in Hanoi on January 16, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed his guestas the first foreign high-ranking leader to visit Vietnam this year andreiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of considering Japan its leading andlong-term partner.
The two PMs agreed to continuestrengthening political trust via maintaining high-level visits and meetings,and increasing the efficiency of dialogue mechanisms.
They committed to closely workingtogether for the upcoming Vietnam visit by the Japanese Emperor and Empress. TheJapanese PM wished to welcome his Vietnamese counterpart to Japan this summerand promised to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) EconomicLeaders’ Meeting in Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang later this year.
Host and guest consented toenhance practical collaboration in national defence-security, including bomband mine clearance and improvement of law enforcement at sea.
On the economic front, the twosides reached consensus on boosting economic connectivity via promotion of trade,investment promotion, official development assistance (ODA) and cooperation insupplementary fields such as agriculture and labour.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked Japanto continue providing Vietnam with ODA in the near future, with a focus on infrastructurebuilding, human resources training and climate change response.
Abe, for his part, committed anadditional 1.05 billion USD in ODA for Vietnam in the 2016 fiscal year in thefields of maritime security, climate change response, water drainage and wastetreatment.
Japan is ready to boost hi-techapplication and investment by raising capital from State-owned enterprises andpersonnel training while facilitating Vietnamese tourist arrivals in Japan andcultural exchanges, he said.
Both sides vowed to realiseVietnam’s industrialisation strategy within the framework of the Vietnam-Japancooperation until 2020 with a vision till 2030 and the sixth stage of theJapan-Vietnam joint initiative to improve Vietnam’s business climate, as wellas continue major infrastructure projects such as the north-south highway inVietnam.
They lauded the talks between Vietnameselocal authorities and Japanese corporate executives during the visit, believingthat it affords a chance for them to further intensify investment ties in thefuture.
The two leaders also agreed to boostbilateral ties across hi-tech agriculture, high-quality human resourcestraining and cooperation between localities, as well as increase the number ofVietnamese trainees to Japan.
PM Abe announced that Japan will allowthe import of Vietnam’s red-fleshed dragon fruit and PM Phuc also declared thatVietnam will license the import of Japan’s pear fruit.
On regional and global issues ofshared concern, the two PMs vowed mutual support at regional and global forumssuch as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the United Nations.
The Japanese leader affirmed thathe will work to help Vietnam successfully host the APEC Year 2017.
The two PMs underscored theimportance of ensuring peace, security, maritime and aviation safety andfreedom in the East Sea, urging parties concerned to refrain from actions thatcause tension and militarisation resulting in changing the status quo in thewaters, promote the settlement of disputes by peaceful means. The sides shouldfully respect diplomatic and legal processes, not to use force or threat to useforce, seriously abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), towards promptly reaching a Code of Conduct inthe East Sea (COC).
Following the talks, the two PMswitnessed the signing of agreements between ministries, agencies and businesses.-VNA
VNA
