Vietnam, Japan pledge cooperation in defence-security, post-Covid recovery
VIETNAMESE Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio discussed in-depth Vietnam and Japan’s bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of mutual concern, during their talks in Hanoi on May 1.
The two government leaders expressed their joy at the great strides in the Vietnam-Japan relationship and reached an overall agreement on the major orientations, as well as measures to deepen cooperation in all aspects, opening up a new development stage in the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
They reached a consensus on continuing to enhance political trust through maintaining highlevel visits and contact and the effectiveness of cooperative and dialogue mechanisms.
Chinh appreciated the visit of Kishida, which he said reflects the importance that the Japanese government attaches to the relations with Vietnam. He reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of considering Japan a leading important and reliable strategic partner.
Kishida re-affirmed that Japan treasures its relations with Vietnam and values Vietnam’s increasingly elevated role and position both in the region and the world. He also said that Japan will continue to work with and support Vietnam in socio-economic development, including in key infrastructure like urban railways and NorthSouth hi-speed rail line, receiving Vietnamese trainees and students and assisting the Vietnamese community in Japan.
The two leaders welcomed the outstanding progress in implementing the outcomes of Chinh’s official visit to Japan last November, with the completion of an updated document on the
progress of cooperation in eight aspects, namely; health care (including Covid-19 prevention and control), investment-trade, official development assistance (ODA) infrastructure; peopleto-people exchange; environment-climate change; judicial affairs; defence-security; and culture-education.
According to the document, most agreements and projects reached during Chinh’s visit to Japan are making good progress, such as the observation satellite, the metro line No 1 in HCM City, Vietnam-Laos connectivity enhancement, the initiatives on digital transformation, technology renovation and supply chain promotion, support of Covid-19 prevention and control, defence-security, settlement of copyright violations and the resumption of commercial flights.
They agreed to promote collaboration in post-Covid economic recovery, including in trade, investment, agriculture,
energy and the environment.
The two countries will work to effectively implement a programme on new-generation ODA loans with flexible and preferential conditions along with streamlined procedures for strategic infrastructure building, transport infrastructure, digital transformation, response to climate change and health care.
They will speed up procedures so that Japan can declare the opening up of its market for Vietnamese longan in September this year while continuing to facilitate the export to Japan of Vietnamese pomelo, avocado and rambutan.
The two leaders also agreed to increase cooperation to help Vietnam participate deeper in regional and global supply chains, accelerate digital transformation and the building of digital government, digital economy and digital society and realise its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
The two sides will push ahead with collaboration in security and defence, UN peacekeeping operations and war consequence settlements in Vietnam.
Chinh asked Japan to support Vietnam in successfully achieving economic self-reliance and independence, and extensive international integration, and at the same time, study and establish a common mechanism to assist Vietnam’s industrialisation and modernisation efforts in service of the five-year socioeconomic development plan and the 10-year socio-economic development strategy.
The two leaders also vowed to promote cultural and peopleto-people exchanges and tourism and coordinate to organise activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations in 2023.
Exchanging views on regional and international issues, they agreed to coordinate closely at international and regional forums
such as ASEAN, Mekong and the UN, and in responding to global challenges like climate change and epidemics, as well as in implementing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Regarding the Ukraine issue, Chinh said Vietnam attaches special importance to the humanitarian issue and announced that Vietnam will provide $500,000 in aid to Ukraine through international humanitarian organisations. The decision was welcomed by Kishida.
On the South China Sea (called East Sea by Vietnam) issue, the two government leaders underlined the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of aviation and maritime activities, and of settling disputes and differences by peaceful means, including full respect for diplomatic and legal processes, no use of force and no threat of the use of force, on the basis of international law, especially the 1082 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They also pointed to the significance of the full, comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the early completion of an effective and substantial Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC) that is legally binding and in accordance with international law.
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of 22 cooperation documents between ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises of the two countries.
They jointly chaired a press conference on the main outcomes of their talks.
Kishida is making an official visit to Hanoi from April 30 to May 1.