(VNF) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had fringe meetings with his Japanese and New Zealand counterparts on September 7^th at the 28^th & 29^th ASEAN Summits and related meetings in Vientiane, Laos.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Vientiane, Laos, September 7^th, 2016. (Photo: VGP)

PM Phuc highly appreciated Japan’s active and effective support for Viet Nam’s socio-economic development, especially for enhancing competitiveness, improving business environment and coping with climate change.

He asked the Japanese side to continue offering official development assistance, accelerating trade and investment, and backing Viet Nam to access loans from the International Development Association (IDA) beyond 2017.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe affirmed that Japan will continue to help Vietnam achieve sustainable development and provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, including the project on climate change adaptation and another on infrastructure at Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park. He also pledged to encourage Japanese hi-tech firms to invest in Vietnam.

Both the Vietnamese and Japanese PMs expressed concern about recent complicated developments in the region and underlined the importance of maintaining peace, security and co-operation in the East Sea.

They underlined the rule of law and the settlement of disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), and reached a consensus that the two countries will intensify joint efforts towards those goals.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and New Zealander PM John Key, Vientiane, Laos, September 7^th, 2016. (Photo: VGP)

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and New Zealander PM John Key said they attach importance to the Viet Nam-New Zealand comprehensive partnership, vowing to work closely to further deepen the bilateral ties.

PM Phuc urged the two countries to promote the effectiveness of the existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, develop detailed plans to implement the comprehensive partnership in various fields, especially trade and investment in the next 3-5 years.

He asked New Zealand to facilitate market access for Vietnam’s agricultural products, first of all fruits such as rambutan, star apple and grapefruit, by relaxing quarantine and food safety standards for Vietnamese agro-fishery products.

The PM also proposed that New Zealand grant more scholarships to Vietnamese students and allow more Vietnamese workers under the working holiday scheme.

PM John Key said New Zealand is willing to help Vietnam with experience and technology to develop food, processing and dairy industries, and took note of Vietnam’s request on market access.

He affirmed that New Zealand will cooperate closely with Viet Nam, especially in trade, investment and economic domains as the two countries are the signatories of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.

The two government leaders shared the view on the importance of maintaining peace, security and co-operation in the East Sea, settling disputes by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, and pledged to co-ordinate efforts to achieve those targets./.

Minh Phuong