Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong (R) receives Takebe Tsutomu, Special Advisor to the Japan - Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance. (Photo: VNA)

Thuong affirmed that the two sides have mutual high political trust, which has been increasingly consolidated and enhanced. Relations through all channels such as political parties, governments, parliaments, businesses, and people have been maintained despite COVID-19-induced difficulties, he said.

The Party official highly appreciated Japan’s role in Viet Nam’s foreign policy and thanked the Japanese Government and people for their support to Viet Nam in the fight against the pandemic.

Acknowledging Takebe's positive and effective contributions to the relations between the two ruling parties and governments as well as the exchange between Vietnamese and Japanese parliamentarians and people, Thuong said he was pleased with his guest’s activities in promoting bilateral cooperation in education, training and culture in the past time.

For his part, the Japanese special advisor lauded Viet Nam’s economic recovery and COVID-19 prevention and control. He said the two nations share cultural similarities and have recorded sound outcomes in educational exchanges and labour collaboration.

Takebe expressed his desire to make further practical contributions to cooperation in training high-quality human resources and increasing mutual understanding between the Japanese and Vietnamese people.

Both host and guest stressed that 2023, which marks five decades of establishing Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic relations, is an occasion for the two countries to review the progress, achievements, and potential and at the same time, to set out strategic visions and orientations for the bilateral ties in a new period.

They agreed to jointly make efforts in boosting the extensive strategic partnership through concrete and practical cooperation activities supported by the two nations' people.