Vietnam-Japan Extensive Strategic Partnership: Towards Opening of New Era

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio. Photo: VNA

During their talks in Tokyo on November 24, PM Chinh congratulated Kishida on his re-election as the PM of Japan, and thanked the latter for his special sentiments and significant contributions to the development of the relations between the two countries.

Vietnam always regards Japan as a long-term, important and reliable strategic partner, PM Pham Minh Chinh said, as cited by VOV.

He conveyed the invitations of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other Vietnamese leaders to the Emperor and Empress, PM Kishida and leaders of Japan to soon visit Vietnam.

PM Kishida hailed the strong development of the bilateral ties over the past years, which, he said, are now at the most flourishing period in history.

Japan places great importance on its relations with Vietnam, he said, while praising socio-economic achievements the Southeast Asian nation has recorded as well as its increasingly important role and position in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese cabinet leader affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue to create an open, transparent investment climate, actively support businesses and fulfill its commitments towards investors.

Japan donates additional 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio hold talks in Tokyo, Japan, November 24, 2021. Photo: VNA

PM Kishida pledged that his nation will provide comprehensive support for Vietnam in the Covid-19 fight, saying the Japanese Government will provide an additional 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses for Vietnam.

In response, Prime Minister Chinh expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Government of Japan and the Japanese people for sharing Covid-19 vaccines that will amount to 5.6 million doses in total as well as many medical equipment and materials.

Both sides consented to continue to work closely on research and production of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

The pair agreed on the need to continue promoting security and defence cooperation, joining the United Nations peacekeeping force, overcoming war consequences in Vietnam, and bolstering collaboration to improve law enforcement at sea.

They agreed to consider reopening commercial air routes and deploying the vaccine passport scheme, stepping up cooperation in socio-economic development in the face of negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and cooperation programmes using Japan's official development assistance during the post-pandemic recovery period.

The two PMs also pledged to work hand in hand to increase and expand the reception of Vietnamese guest workers to Japan, and cooperation in dealing with issues related to Vietnamese apprentices and students.

They promised to boost closer coordination at international and regional forums, deal with common challenges of the international community, and implement the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Regarding the South China Sea (Bien Dong Sea), the two PMs underlined the importance of ensuring security and safety of navigation and aviation and settling all disputes and differences via peaceful measures, including the full respect for the diplomatic and legal processes, and not using force or threatening to use force, based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They also emphasized the necessity to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and soon finalise an effective, practical and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing and exchange of 11 documents by ministries, agencies, and enterprises of the two countries.

The two sides also issued a Joint Statement Toward the Opening of a New Era in Japan-Vietnam Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

PM meets with leaders of Japan's Parliament

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Hosoda Hiroyuki, Tokyo, Japan, November 24, 2021. Photo: VGP

According to the Vietnamese government portal, at a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Hosoda Hiroyuki in Tokyo on November 24, Chinh spoke highly of the exchanges and contacts between the legislative bodies of the two countries, calling on the House of Representatives of Japan to continue support for both countries to enhance cooperation in Covid-19 combat, economic connectivity, and post-pandemic recovery.

He affirmed Vietnam attaches importance to further strengthening the extensive strategic partnership with Japan for the benefits of both countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with President of the House of Councilors of Japan Santo Akiko, Tokyo, Japan, November 24, 2021. Photo: VGP

The same day, the PM with President of the House of Councilors of Japan Santo Akiko, during which he briefed about Vietnam’s development goals and visions to 2030 and 2045.

He reassured Santo that Vietnam consistently sticks to its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multi-lateralization of external relations, active and proactive international integration.

Earlier the same day, Chinh had separate meetings with Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Kazuo Shii and Chief Representative of Japan's Komeito Party, Natsuo Yamaguchi.

Vietnam, Japan emphasise importance of respect for international law

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang (left) and his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo. Photo: VNA

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang held talks with Japanese Minister of Defence Kishi Nobuo in Tokyo on November 23, within the framework of PM Chinh’s official visit to Japan, VietnamPlus reported.

Kishi said Giang’s ongoing visit will make an important contribution to maintaining momentum of cooperation, promoting the exchange of views on issues of mutual concern and orienting cooperation fields that need to be deployed in the coming time.

The two ministers held that based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Bilateral Defence Cooperation and Exchanges signed in October 2011 and the Joint Vision Statement on Defence Cooperation towards the next decade inked in April 2018, the two sides have closely coordinated together and promoted defence ties in a comprehensive, practical and effective manner in line with the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership.

They exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual concern, including the importance of freedom of navigation and aviation amid complicated developments in the region and the world as well. The two ministers affirmed the importance of respect for international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, in settling differences among concerned parties in disputed areas such as the South China Sea and the East China Sea. They expected concerned sides to restrain, not to use force or threaten to use force, and settle disputes via peaceful measures on the basis of international law.

In the coming time, the two ministers consented to direct relevant agencies of the two defence ministries to actively deploy agreements reached by their leaders, including an agreement on the transfer of military equipment and technology signed in September 2021 and two MoUs inked during this visit.

Giang voiced his support for Kishi’s proposal on holding an ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting and backed Japan’s active participation in ASEAN-led multilateral defence cooperation mechanisms, especially ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM ), thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

Both ministers spoke highly of the results of the 8th defence policy dialogue at the deputy minister level held earlier and agreed to assign authorised agencies to effectively carry out the consented contents, thereby strengthening Vietnam-Japan defence ties in the new development period.

Following the talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of two MoUs on cooperation in military medicine and cybersecurity between the two defence ministries.

As part of the visit, Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang also received Gen. Koji Yamazaki, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of Japan./.

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