PM Phuc: Japan- strategic partner of top importance to Vietnam

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) greets Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi Toshimitsu

PM Phuc expressed his impression with the newly-appointed minister’s efforts and sense of responsibility towards the two countries’ relations.

The cabinet leader voiced his support for Japan to enhance its role in the region and asked the Japanese diplomat to convey his thanks to the Japanese PM for paying continuous attention to fostering the countries’ friendship and cooperation.

He also assured Vietnam’s sustained efforts to effectively carry out the high-level commitments between the two nations.

To spur the substantive development of bilateral relations, the Vietnamese Government leader suggested the two sides boost political trust via mutual high-level exchange visits. He also asked the Japanese Government to boost closer coordination to promote the two economies’ connectivity, encourage Japanese businesses to continue broadening operations in Vietnam, and offer optimal conditions for agricultural and aquatic products of Vietnam to make inroad into the Japanese market.

On this occasion, he invited the Japanese PM to visit Vietnam and attend ASEAN summits in the country in 2020.
PM Phuc was appreciative of locality-to-locality links and asked Japan to help Vietnam with administrative reforms, e-Government building, and high-level official training.

He underlined the need for both sides to step up coordination at international forums and work hand in hand to enhance international economic connections, especially the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

He glowingly spoke of Japan’s stance and called on the country to continue supporting ASEAN and Vietnam’s stance on ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as to comply with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

For his part, Motegi Toshimits pledged combined efforts to contribute to bilateral diplomatic ties, and once again thanked Vietnam and PM Phuc for promoting the consensus on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) at the APEC summit in the central city of Danang in 2017.
As Vietnam serves as the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020, he chose the country as the first destination to visit this year, he noted.

The Japanese official also affirmed his country’s commitment to cooperating closely with and supporting Vietnam to fulfill the roles of the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. He also thanked PM Phuc for his attention to the removal of difficulties facing bilateral cooperation, including Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) and projects in Vietnam.

With Vietnam’s efforts, the RCEP will be strongly promoted and the CPTPP implemented effectively, he said, adding that Japan welcomes and will seek ways to facilitate Vietnamese farm produce’s entry into its market. He affirmed Japan’s readiness to help Vietnam with e-Government building.

On the East Sea issue, Motegi Toshimits said his nation always backs the stance on settlement of disputes by peaceful means, alongside the need to respect ASEAN’s role and comply with international law.

PM Phuc shared the view on the necessity to further diversify bilateral relations, strengthen mutual support at regional and international forums, and beef up closer cooperation with other countries to ensure peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region.