Ambassador highlights Vietnam-Japan cooperation prospects

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong 

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong highlighted the significance of the first-ever State visit to Japan by President Tran Dai Quang from May 29 to June 2 and the prospects of cooperation between the two countries in a recent interview granted to Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Tokyo.

He said the visit will create a good chance for the two sides to express their determination to bring the bilateral extensive strategic partnership to a new period of development.

Annually, Japan only welcomes one or two State-level visits. Therefore, the reception of President Tran Dai Quang this year shows that the country attaches importance to the role and position of Vietnam in the region and the world as well as the development of the bilateral relations, he said.

For Vietnam, the visit is in line with the Party and State’s foreign policy of diversification and multilateralisation, as well as the policy of reform, door-opening and deep-and-wide international integration, he added.

The Ambassador said the visit is a follow-up of the regular exchanges between the two countries’ leaders. He recalled the successful visit to Japan in 2015 by Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, and later by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in 2016 and 2017.

In 2017, the Japanese Emperor and Empress made a historic successful visit to Vietnam. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid two official visits to Vietnam the same year and attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in the central city of Da Nang in November 2017.

Regular exchanges have helped strengthen and reinforce political trust between the two countries and peoples, Cuong said.

He stressed that the Vietnamese President’s visit takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties (1973-2018).

It provides an occasion for Vietnamese and Japanese leaders and people to look back at the achievements they have gained over the past 45 years, the Ambassador noted.

He said while bilateral ties are at its best in history, there is still great room for the two sides to expand their partnership. 

Vietnam is pushing ahead with comprehensive reforms to achieve rapid and sustainable development towards the goal of becoming a modern industrialised country by 2030 with a vision towards 2045.

Japan plays a crucial role in helping Vietnam implement the Vietnamese Party and State’s policies, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Japan is stepping up the implementation of the Abenomics policy, restructuring the economy and encouraging small-and-medium-sized enterprises to boost external investment. Vietnam is an important market and partner of Japan in the region, he noted.

A new foundation for Vietnam-Japan relations is their active participation in negotiations to reach the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The agreement is expected to come into force from 2019, opening new cooperation prospects for the two countries’ businesses.

The Ambassador also highlighted the role of the overseas Vietnamese in Japan in promoting the two countries’ relations. 

Besides, Vietnam and Japan share many strategic interests in regional and international issues, for example their similar viewpoints on the East Sea matter. Both countries support the settlement of disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means and without threat to use or use of force, based on international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), he added.

VN President’s visit to strengthen extensive strategic partnership with Japan

President Tran Dai Quang 

The upcoming State visit to Japan by President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse from May 29 to June 2 is expected to bolster the already sound partnership between the two countries.

Vietnam and Japan set up their diplomatic ties in September 1973. Over the past years, the two countries have become important partners of each other in many fields. Since Vietnam and Japan lift their relationship to Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia in March 2014, the two sides have enjoyed strong, comprehensive and practical progress in bilateral ties.

Japan was the first G7 country to welcome the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in 1995, and also the first G7 member to set up a strategic partnership with Vietnam in 2009, recognise Vietnam’s market economy in 2011, and invite Vietnam to join the expanded G7 Summit in May 2016.

Bilateral partnership is now at its best time in history since the establishment of diplomatic relationship. Senior leaders of the two sides have maintained regular visits and meetings at international and regional forums. The Prime Minister of Japan visited Vietnam 10 times, while the Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives made two visits to Vietnam. 

Speaker of the House of Councillors of Japan Yamazaki visited Vietnam in December 2015, while Prince Akishino paid an official visit to Vietnam in June 1999 and a private visit in August 2012. The Crown Prince visited Vietnam in 2009, while the Japanese Emperor and Empress visited Vietnam in 2017.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the CPV made four visits to Japan, while the State President made two visits, the Prime Minister made six official visits and nine working visits, and the National Assembly leader also made two official visits to Japan.

The two sides have implemented important cooperation mechanisms, including the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers (which has met 9 times since 2007), the bilateral strategic dialogue on diplomacy-security-defence at Deputy Foreign Ministerial level (six meetings since 2010), the Vietnam-Japan defence policy dialogue at deputy ministerial level (five meetings since November 2012), and security dialogue at deputy ministerial level (five meetings since November 2013), the joint committee on trade, energy and agriculture cooperation (two meetings since 2014), and the agricultural dialogue at ministerial level (three meetings since 2014).

The two sides have cooperated closely and effectively at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Japan has been the leading economic partner of Vietnam. The two sides have granted each other the most favoured nation tariff since 1999. In 2017, two-way trade revenue reached 33.4 billion USD, a rise of 16.8 percent over 2016. In the first three months of 2018, the figure reached 8.7 billion USD, up 15.7 percent over the same period last year.

In 2017, Japanese investment in Vietnam hit a record high at 9.11 billion USD, making it the biggest investor in Vietnam. As of March 2018, Japan has run 3,693 FDI projects in Vietnam worth 49.839 billion USD, ranking second in 116 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

From the beginning of 2018 to March 20, Japanese investors poured 592.67 million USD into 96 new projects, 42 underway projects and capital contribution or share purchase deals, turning Japan into the fourth largest foreign investor of Vietnam.

So far, Japan has been the biggest ODA provider of Vietnam, focusing on infrastructure building, competitiveness enhancement, high-quality human resource training and climate change, greatly contributing to Vietnam’s socio-economic development.

From 1992 to the end of the 2016 fiscal year (March 2017), Japan committed about 30.5 billion USD of ODA for Vietnam. Last year, the two sides signed deals for five projects funded by Japanese ODA loans, three ODA borrowing agreements, and four projects using Japanese non-refundable aid. Japan has also pledged to provide ODA to two new projects in the 2017 fiscal year.

Bilateral partnership in security-defence, agriculture, education-training, and labour have also been fruitful. People-to-people exchange, cultural and tourism affiliation have seen strong development.

At the same time, bilateral agricultural partnership achieved a breakthrough in September 2015 with the signing of an agreement on middle and long-term joint vision in agricultural cooperation on the occasion of the Japan visit of General Secretary of the CPV Nguyen Phu Trong.

Cooperation in climate change response has also been expanded, with Japan continuously providing ODA to Vietnam in the field.

In labour cooperation, since 1992, Japan has received a large number of Vietnamese apprentices. The two sides have signed a memorandum of understanding on Japan’s receiving Vietnamese nurses and orderlies and another on cooperation in apprenticeship.

The Vietnam-Japan education-training partnership has expanded in many forms. Japan has been one of the biggest providers of non-refundable aid to Vietnam’s education and training sector. The two sides signed many cooperation deals in the field, including an agreement on the training of 1,000 doctoral degree holders for Vietnam to 2020 and the teaching of Japanese in Vietnam.

So far, about 75,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Japan. The Japanese side is also cooperating with Vietnam in upgrading four Vietnamese universities and in establishing the Vietnam-Japan University to train high-quality human resource for Vietnam in science-technology, management and service.

In 2017, Japan ranked third in the number of tourists to Vietnam. In the first three months of this year, the number of Japanese tourists to Vietnam reached 215,427, up 6.9 percent over 2017, ranking third after China and the Republic of Korea.

Japan opened its General Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, while Vietnam also launched its General Consulate in Osaka and Fukuoka. In June 2010, Vietnam appointed two Honorary Consuls General in Nagoya city of Aichi Prefecture and Kushiro city in Hokkaido Prefecture of Japan.

Since July 1, 2014, all Japanese citizens enjoy short-term visa exemption in Vietnam.

Since May 1, 2005, diplomatic and official passport holders of Vietnam and Japan have been entitled to visa exemption for 90 days. Japan has also loosened its visa policy for Vietnamese citizens.

The State visit of President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse aims to affirm Vietnam’s consistent external policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification in international relations, as well as the importance that the country attaches to strengthening the extensive strategic partnership with Japan.

The visit also aims to bolster the close relationship and political trust between senior leaders of Vietnam and Japan, contributing to strengthening the bilateral extensive strategic partnership.

Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties marked in HCM City

At the celebration of the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties 

A celebration of the 45th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties was held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said the milestone has become more special when the two countries elevated their ties to strategic partnership in March this year.

Australia and HCM City have reaped a lot of significant achievements in their cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, education-training, culture and tourism.

At present, Australia is running about 180 investment projects in HCM City with total registered capital of nearly 190 million USD, Phong said.

HCM City established ties with Australia’s Northern Territory in 2014.

The two sides’ universities are actively implementing a number of cooperation projects, including the training of 500 masters and doctors for Vietnam’s southern economic hub.

The collaboration between HCM City and Australian localities will further develop in the coming time on the foundation of mutual trust and the strategic partnership, Phong said.

For his part, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick shared that this is a wonderful event to mark the 45-year-old diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Australia.

According to the diplomat, the celebration demonstrated the warm friendship between the two countries over the past years and the wish of Australian people to explore Vietnamese culture.

Prime Minister pledges more support in training to Laos

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chansy Phosikham, head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee’s Organisation Commission. 

Personnel work has special significance to socio-economic development and Vietnam stands ready to increase support for Laos in training, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. 

He told Chansy Phosikham, head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee’s Organisation Commission, in Hanoi on May 25 that the Vietnamese Party and State always require all-level Party Committees, ministries, agencies and localities to assist Laos in national development, considering this as Vietnam’s responsibility. 

The Vietnamese and Lao Prime Ministers have regularly met and discussed ways to enhance the bilateral ties, Phuc added, stressing that Vietnam is willing to provide the best possible support for its neighbouring country. 

The Vietnamese government leader highly valued outcomes of the talks between the Lao Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission and the Organisation Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, which was held during Chansy Phosikham’s visit and focused on exchanging experience in Party building and personnel work. 

He urged the two sides to tighten their coordination in implementing Vietnam-Laos joint statements, agreements reached by Party leaders of the two countries and Governments, the agreement signed at the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee and other cooperation programmes. 

For his part, Chansy Phosikham said his visit aims to learn from Vietnam’s experience in organisation and personnel work. 

He highlighted the firm stance of the Lao Party, State and people on the fruitful cooperation and traditional friendship with Vietnam. 

Laos is actively implementing infrastructure projects, especially those in the transport sector, to bring the two countries closer, he said.

Lawmakers suggest renewing State management methods

Lawmakers suggested the government renew management methods to ensure State budget collection and socio-economic development on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 14th National Assembly in Hanoi on May 25. 

Deputy Bui Thanh Tung from Hai Phong city lauded economic growth in 2017 with 12 out of 13 targets being met and surpassed, especially in manufacturing and processing. 

Hailing economic growth of 7.38 percent in the four months this year, a record in a decade, lawmaker Le Kim Toan from Binh Dinh province said many international financial organisations forecast that Vietnam would post growth of at least 6.5 percent this year, opening up prospects to achieve growth target as assigned by the legislature. 

Lawmakers attributed the growth to contributions of the business community and urged the government to direct ministries, agencies, localities to offer optimal support to them to launch projects, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

Lawmaker Hoang Van Cuong from Hanoi said the government should tap opportunities arising from the fourth industrial revolution to reform taxation management. 

According to him, State budget collection relies most on major State-owned enterprises which are restructuring themselves so that their contributions to the State budget will be changed. 

He underscored the importance of creating fairness to businesspeople and the redistribution of sources of revenue to create public consensus when it comes to renovating taxation system. 

Deputies raised concern that those with business licenses regularly pay taxes on time while those doing business on the Internet are not subject to taxes, which he said, will create a transparent and healthy competition. 

Cuong said the government must limit home ownership among rich people, making it easier for the vulnerable better access land, thereby gaining public trust and ensuring State budget collection.

HCM City looks to tighten ties with Australia

Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (R) welcomes Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove 

Ho Chi Minh City wants to enhance cooperation with Australia in the fields of education, hi-tech agriculture, start-up ecosystem development, and smart urban building.

The statement was made by Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong at his meeting in the city on May 25 with Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

Phong expressed his delight at strong development of the two countries’ relations, especially in the context of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 20th anniversary of defence ties.

In a local angle, as of April, Australia had run 182 investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City with a total capital of 188 million USD. Two-way trade reached 915 million USD last year. Australia was ranked among top ten in terms of the number of tourists to the city with 273,000 arrivals in 2017.

According to Phong, last year, low-cost carrier Jetstar launched two direct air routes linking Ho Chi Minh City with Australia’s Melbourne and Sydney. Another low-cost carrier Vietjet Air also has a plan to open an air route connecting the city with Australia’s Brisbane in early 2019.

This will be a driving force for the development of the two sides’ relations, not only in tourism, but also in other fields, he added.

He took the occasion to show his hope that the Governor-General will maintain his back for Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, during its renewal, international integration and nation building process.

Cosgrove said that Australia treasures its ties with Ho Chi Minh City, a dynamic city in terms of economic development in the world.

According to him, Australia’s investment in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, will increase in the time to come, particularly in the fields of innovation and education.

During his visit this time, he will discuss with Vietnamese students at RMIT University about innovation, and with young entrepreneurs about the Australia-Vietnam relations.

He also suggested the two countries boost tourism cooperation through the opening of direct air routes.