The first State visit to Vietnam by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko is a historical hallmark and a meaningful symbol of the two nations’ friendship, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in an interview with Japanese national newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly values the State visit to Vietnam by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko from February 28 to March 5, 2017. 

The Government chief expressed his belief that the visit would open up a new chapter in the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership.

The Vietnamese leader highlighted the bilateral relationship is now at its best in history.

The establishment of Extensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in March 2014 and the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam-Japan Relations reached in September 2015 have created a firm foundation for comprehensive and realistic advancement of the bilateral ties in various areas, PM Phuc said.

Both sides have built up and consolidated political trust, regularly exchanged high-level contacts and visits, set up and deployed effectively a string of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms over the past years, he added.

Japan was the 4th largest trade partner of Vietnam in 2016 with the two-way trade turnover of US$30 billion and the 2nd biggest investor with total registered capital of US$42 billion.

Japan also became the single largest bilateral provider of official development assistance for Vietnam, especially in key sectors of infrastructure and energy.

PM Phuc said the two nations made progresses in such fields of national security-defense, agriculture, labor, climate change adaptation, people-to-people exchanges, local-to-local cooperation, tourism and education.

PM Phuc suggested the two countries uphold their advantages, strengthen economic connectivity, and accelerate cooperation in high-quality infrastructure, clean and high-tech agriculture, renewable energy among others.

The Government chief said that the overseas Vietnamese in Japan and Japanese living in Vietnam are bridges to promote the two countries’ friendship and cooperation when he was asked about his comments on rising number of Vietnamese community in Japan.

Last year, more than 740,000 Japanese travelled to Vietnam and around 200,000 Vietnamese visited Japan. Currently, as many as 170,000 Vietnamese are living, studying and working in Japan, including 60,000 students and 72,000 apprentices.

He expected that the two Governments will join hands to support their nationals to overcome difficulties in terms of language, culture and laws to integrate and make practical contribution to socio-economic development in each country.

Regarding how Vietnam will address its development challenges, including corruption, rich-poor gap, and low competitiveness, PM Phuc assured that the Vietnamese Government will continue reform efforts.

The Government will continue restructuring the economy, innovating growth model and improving the quality of the workforce while actively coping with climate change.

PM Phuc re-affirmed his determination to build a constructive Government, a Government of integrity and transparency in service of people and businesses.

He also pledged to double efforts to improve business and investment environment to facilitate domestic and foreign investment.

VGP