Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 11 held phone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, during which they agreed to step up cooperation in the COVID-19 fight. 

Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo: VNA

PM Suga congratulated Nguyen on his election as President of Viet Nam, pledging that Japan will continue with its close cooperation with and assistance to Viet Nam in development in the time ahead.

In that spirit, the Japanese government has decided to present a cold storage system for COVID-19 vaccines worth 200 million JPY (US$1.84 million) as non-refundable to Viet Nam, he said.

Japan will also provide marine scientific research vessels for Viet Nam, and open its Consulate General in the central city of Da Nang in 2022, the PM added.

For his part, State President Nguyen appreciated PM Suga’s selection of Viet Nam for his first overseas trip since taking office last October, and expressed his delight at the strong and comprehensive development with high political trust of the bilateral ties.

In its foreign policy, Viet Nam always considers Japan as a strategic, long-term and leading important partner, he affirmed.  

State President Nguyen used this occasion to invite the Japanese Emperor and Empress to visit Viet Nam.

The President spoke highly of Japan’s effective and practical cooperation in Viet Nam’s socio-economic development, including its donated cold vaccine storage equipment. He also called for Japan’s collaboration and support in COVID-19 vaccines to facilitate Viet Nam’s vaccinations and assistance to the Vietnamese community in Japan.

In this regard, PM Suga said Japan will assist and cooperate with Viet Nam to ensure necessary vaccines, and further support Vietnamese apprentices in his country.

The two leaders agreed to step up exchanges and meetings at all levels, especially the high level, and improve the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms.

They will also work to press ahead with the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), enhance connectivity in investment and trade, expand collaboration in agriculture and labor, and cooperation between localities, while joining hands in preparing for celebrations of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.

The leaders consented that in the context of Viet Nam working as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations in 2018-2021, the two countries need to further their close cooperation at multilateral forums, especially the UN and ASEAN, and strengthen collaboration within the Mekong-Japan framework.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue./. VNA