Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) expressed their commitments to supporting Vietnam’s initiatives in addressing regional security challenges on the sidelines of the ongoing 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 50) on August 8.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh meets with Japanese counterpart Kono Taro on the sidelines of the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 50) in Manila, the Philippines

The two countries agreed to maintain the central role of ASEAN in the region and enhance cooperation with the ASEAN member nations and partners to resolve effectively traditional and non-traditional regional security challenges based on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh supported the active role of Japan and the RoK in maintaining peace, stability and security in the region.

At a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Kono Taro, the two sides showed their satisfaction at the positive developments in the bilateral extensive strategic partnership over the past time.

In the first six months of 2017, the countries’ leaders increased exchanges, such as the visit to Vietnam by the Japanese Emperor and Empress in February and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in January, and the official visit to Japan by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in May.

Apart from stepping up cooperation in economics, trade and investment, Vietnam and Japan agreed to boost the implementation of investment documents signed between their businesses.

Other cooperative fields such as culture, education, security, defense and people-to-people exchanges have been maintained and developed.

Minh spoke highly of cooperation and support of Japan – the biggest provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam. 

He affirmed the Vietnamese Government always creates the best conditions for foreign enterprises, including those from Japan, to do business in Vietnam.

Vietnam and Japan will coordinate to exchange future orientations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

While exchanging with RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung Wha, Minh described the RoK as the largest investor and one of the leading trade partners of Vietnam.

He proposed the RoK’s Government take measures to balance trade between the two countries and maintain the provision of ODA for Vietnam and continue supporting overseas Vietnamese.

Kang Kyung Wha said the bilateral strategic partnership has come into reality and is based on the close relations between the two countries’ people, including RoK-Vietnam families.

The RoK’s Government pledges to help Vietnamese brides overcome cultural differences to integrate into the host society.

The two sides also agreed to maintain all-level delegation exchanges and cooperation mechanisms to boost the bilateral relations in all aspects.

VNA