VietNamNet Bridge – PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Japan from October 30 to November 2, was a success, which confirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching great importance to strengthening its friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Japan.
The visit took place when the Vietnam-Japan relations have seen strong development over recent years, especially since the two countries set up the strategic partnership in 2009. Cooperation and mutual confidence in the fields of politics, diplomatics, security and defence have been consolidated and seen new progress. Japan remains Vietnam’s leading economic and trade partner, particularly in foreign direct investment and official development assistance.

The Japanese Government and people offered a warm and sincere welcome to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his entourage.

Among agreements signed during the trip, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Japan’s welcome of Vietnamese nurses and hospital orderlies is a notable, which opens a new field of cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

The MoU is the fruit of negotiation in one and a half year. Vietnam is the third Southeast Asian country, after the Philippines and Indonesia, which can send nurses and hospital orderlies to Japan. The Nikkei newspaper said that Japan will receive around 200 Vietnamese nurses and hospital orderlies a year, starting from 2013.

The two sides issued a joint statement on the implementation of action within the framework of the Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia between Vietnam and Japan, reflecting the common perception, desire and determination of the two countries’ leaders and plans to further deepen the two countries’ strategic partnership.

They also inked agreements worth $1.2 billion on major projects, including the construction of the Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant, cooperation in rare earth exploitation, building the Lach Huyen deepwater port, the first ODA-funded project in the form of PPP (public-private partnership), the Vietnam Space Centre project (using information technology to cope with climate change and natural disasters), the Nghi Son thermo-power plant, and the program to adapt to climate change and the Ben Luc – Long Thanh highway.   

The Japanese Government announced its decision not to apply part 255 of the working group’s report on Vietnam’s admission to the World Trade Organisation, which means that Japan recognised Vietnam’s market economy. The Japanese Government also pledged to maintain official development assistance to Vietnam, help Vietnam develop important infrastructure projects and promote economic restructuring, and implement targets of economic development strategies, modernisation and industrialisation by 2020. The two sides also agreed to at least double two-way trade value by 2020.

Regarding nuclear power, Japan committed to increase nuclear safety through sharing experience and recent lessons relating to the nuclear incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in a most transparent manner and explain its plan to step by step to improve nuclear safety. The Japanese expressed its intention to provide Vietnam with technologies ensuring safety at the highest level in the world.

On regional and international cooperation, the two sides reaffirmed the importance in beefing up the ASEAN connectivity toward building the ASEAN Community by 2015.

They acknowledged the importance of promoting cooperation in regional frameworks such as Mekong-Japan, ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN+3, EAS, ARF and APEC in order to build an Asia of prosperity and stability.
The two sides affirmed that peace and stability in the East Sea was the common interest of the international community. They welcomed the adoption of the Guidelines for the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and called for the full implementation of the DOC and build a code of conduct (COC) soon, in line with existing international law.

The two sides affirmed that freedom of navigation, trade without barriers and observation of existing international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and peaceful solving disputes were in line with the interest of countries in the region.

They also acknowledged that common interests need to be promoted and protected in the East Sea.

The two sides reaffirmed a resolve to accelerate cooperation to reform the UN Security Council, including expansion of permanent and non-permanent member numbers.

Prime Minister Dung reaffirmed that Vietnam backs Japan to become a UN Security Council permanent member.

Linh Thu