Vietnam, Japan elevate relations to comprehensive strategic partnership: President Vo Van Thuong (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the ipress conference after their talks in Tokyo on November 27, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Co-chairing an international press conference together with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio right after their talks in Tokyo, the Vietnamese President, who is paying an official visit to the East Asian nation, said the two leaders reviewed the achievements and the strong, breakthrough, and comprehensive strides in the two countries’ friendship and cooperation over the last 50 years.

The adoption of the joint statement on the new partnership was an important event opening up a new chapter in the bilateral relations with practical, comprehensive, and effective development, thus meeting both sides’ interests and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large, he noted.

The two sides also agreed on major orientations for the Vietnam - Japan friendship and cooperation in the time ahead, including in politics, defence - security, economy, and new areas, he went on.

Both leaders welcomed Japanese official development assistance (ODA) loans for Vietnam possibly surpassing 100 billion JPY (671 million USD) in 2023, President Thuong said, viewing this as an important prerequisite for the two countries to maintain and bolster ODA cooperation in the years to come, with a focus on such fields as strategic infrastructure, digital transformation, green transition, climate change response, and health care.

He highly valued PM Kishida’s affirmation of Japan’s continued support for Vietnam’s industrialisation, modernisation, and development of an independent and self-reliant economy; Vietnam’s important role in the diversification of Japan’s supply chains; pledge to provide conditions for Vietnamese businesses to engage more deeply in global supply chains of Japanese firms; and support for the Southeast Asian country to realise commitments, including the target of net zero emissions by 2050.

The two sides also concurred in stepping up human resources connectivity, locality-to-locality cooperation, tourism links, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he went on.

President Thuong also underlined that at the talks, they affirmed the necessity to maintain a free and open international order with respect for international law, and that Vietnam and Japan will coordinate closely in issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue, at international and regional forums.

They voiced support for ensuring security and safety of navigation and overflight, and resolving all disputes and differences by peaceful means on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to the Vietnamese leader.

Mentioning the talks’ outcomes, PM Kishida said the two sides discussed orientations for the bilateral relations in the future and agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship.

He detailed some areas the two countries will promote cooperation in, including economy, noting that Vietnam is an indispensable partner of Japan during the implementation of the latter’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” initiative, and also an important base of Japan’s supply chains. The two sides will join hands to co-create future industries such as high technology and human resources training, he continued.

Considering the Vietnamese manpower as indispensable to Japan’s socio-economic development, the host leader said the two countries will expand exchanges between their young people and localities, along with cultural, sports and tourism ties.

Japan and Vietnam will also intensify cooperation at regional and international forums and work together to consolidate and maintain international order and freedom with adherence to law, the Prime Minister added.