PM Phuc appreciated active cooperation across fields between the two countries’ ministries, sectors and localities in recent times, affirming that Vietnam attaches importance to the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China and wishes to promote the bilateral relations in a stable and sustainable manner.

He expressed his support for China to uphold its increasing important role for peace, stability and development of the region and the world, saying that he applauds and supports the implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative (BRI)

PM Phuc suggested the two sides maintain high-ranking exchanges and meetings, enhance political trust, and improve practical and effective cooperation in all fields.

He valued China’s effort to open its market for Vietnam’s dairy products and mangosteen, asking the Chinese side to open door for other Vietnamese farm produce, especially pork and swallow nest, as well as facilitate rice trade between the two nations.

PM Phuc applauded China’s implementation of projects using modern and environmentally friendly technologies in Vietnam, while asking for coordination from the Chinese side to handle a number of problems related to payment procedures, capital increase, slow construction progress, and low efficiency, in cooperation projects between the two parties; and give suitable take-off and landing time for Vietnam’s airlines.

The two sides need to accelerate the signing of the agreement to connect the railway route between Lao Cai province of Vietnam and Hekhou of China, and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Chinese firms to effectively join the Chongqing-Singapore transport route, he said.

The Vietnamese leader also underlined the necessity for the two sides to boost and improve the efficiency of cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, culture, education, tourism, environmental protection and climate change adaptation, sustainable use of Mekong river water, and nuclear safety monitoring; well implement the three documents relating to land border between the two countries; and enhance coordination at regional and international forums.

Regarding the issues at sea, PM Phuc proposed to strictly implement the common perception of the high-ranking leaders, “Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues”, well control differences, and have no actions to complicate the situation and increase disputes; promote negotiation mechanisms relating to the sea to achieve real progress; and achieve progress in the demarcation of waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf in 2020.

He also asked for efforts from the two sides for handling fisheries and fishermen-related issues in a humanitarian spirit; soon signing the Vietnam - China search and rescue cooperation agreement and extending the bilateral agreement on the sea fishing hotline; fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and promote substantive negotiations towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with the international law, to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.

For his part, Premier Li affirmed that China attaches importance to developing relations with Vietnam; and persists the guideline of good neighbourliness, friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term stability with Vietnam.

Agreeing with major directions and measures proposed by PM Phuc, Li said China does not pursue trade surplus to Vietnam but encourages Chinese enterprises to strengthen trade cooperation and expand investment in Vietnam.

China will join Vietnam’s efforts to well control the differences in order to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, he said.

After the talks, PM Phuc and Premier Li witnessed the exchange ceremony of the three documents on economic and technological cooperation, veterinary and public health requirements for Vietnamese dairy products exported to China, and cultural and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

On the occasion of PM Phuc’s attendance in the Belt and Road Forum, the two countries’ ministries and sectors signed other agriculture cooperation agreements.

PM meets Japanese ruling party chief on BRF sidelines

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in Beijing on April 26

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in Beijing on April 26.

At the meeting, held on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation, the two sides agreed to continue promoting the friendship and partnership between the two countries, while continue fostering trade and investment collaboration to strengthen linkage between the two economies.

Japan is currently among the most important partner of Vietnam, the leading ODA provider, the second biggest investor, the third largest tourism market and fourth biggest trade partner, noted the Vietnamese PM.

Toshihiro Nikai, who is also President of the Japanese-Vietnamese Parliamentary Alliance, said that Japan and Vietnam have enjoyed increasingly close relationship, with more than 300,000 Vietnamese people living and working in Japan.

He informed the Vietnamese PM on a plan to organise a Lotus Festival to showcase specious lotus species of Vietnam and Japan in Okayama city to strengthen mutual cultural understanding between people of the two countries.

He expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will continue backing the Vietnam-Japan University project.

PM Phuc said that he hopes the Japanese Government will continue supporting the Vietnamese community in Japan – the third largest foreign community in the country. Vietnam will turn the Vietnam-Japan University into a symbol of education cooperation between the two countries, he said, asking the two Governments as well as ministries and sectors of the two countries to continue working closely together to implement the project soon.

As the coordinator of the ASEAN-Japan relations in the 2018-2021 period and the ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam will continue coordinating closely with Japan in further deepening the partnership between the ASEAN, Mekong sub-regional countries and Japan in the future, he declared.

VNA