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The two government leaders expressed their joy at the great strides in the Vietnam-Japan relationship and reached overall agreement on the major orientations as well as measures to deepen cooperation in all aspects, thus opening up a new development stage in the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
They reached consensus on continuing to enhance political trust through maintaining high-level visits and contact and the effectiveness of cooperative and dialogue mechanisms.
PM Chinh appreciated the visit of PM Kishida, which he said reflects the importance that the Japanese government attaches to the relations with Vietnam. He reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of considering Japan a leading important and reliable strategic partner.
The Japanese PM re-affirmed that Japan treasures its relations with Vietnam and values Vietnam’s increasing role and position in the region and the world. He also affirmed that Japan will continue to work with and support Vietnam in socio-economic development, including in key infrastructure, receiving Vietnamese trainees and students, and assisting the Vietnamese community in Japan.
The two leaders welcomed the outstanding progress in implementing outcomes of PM Chinh’s official visit to Japan last November, with the completion of an update document on the progress of cooperation in eight aspects, namely health care (including COVID-19 prevention and control), investment-trade, ODA-infrastructure, people-to-people exchange, environment-climate change, judicial affairs, defence-security, and culture-education. According to the document, most agreements and projects reached during PM Chinh’s visit to Japan are making good progress, such as the observation satellite, the metro line No1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-Laos connectivity enhancement, the initiatives on digital transformation, technology renovation and supply chain promotion, support of COVID-19 prevention and control, defence-security, settlement of copyrights violation and resumption of commercial flights.
They agreed to promote collaboration in post-pandemic economic recovery, including in trade, investment, agriculture, energy and the environment.
They will speed up procedures so that Japan can declare opening up its market for Vietnam’s longan in September this year while continuing to facilitate the export to Japan of Vietnamese pomelo, avocado and rambutan.
The PMs also agreed to increase cooperation to help Vietnam participate deeper in regional and global supply chains, accelerate digital transformation and the building of digital government, digital economy and digital society, and realise its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
The two sides will push ahead with collaboration in security-defence, UN peacekeeping operation and war consequences settlement in Vietnam.
The two PMs also vowed to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges and tourism, and coordinate to organise activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations in 22023.
Exchanging views on regional and international issues, they agreed to coordinate closely at international and regional forums such as ASEAN, Mekong and the UN, and in responding to global challenges like climate change and epidemics, as well as in implementing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Regarding the Ukraine issue, PM Chinh said Vietnam attaches special importance to the humanitarian issue and announced that Vietnam will provide 500,000 USD in aid to Ukraine through international humanitarian organisations. The decision was welcomed by PM Kishida.
On the East Sea issue, the two government leaders underlined the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of aviation and maritime activities, and of settling disputes and differences by peaceful means, including full respect for diplomatic and legal processes, no use of force and no threat of the use of force, on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They also pointed to the significance of the full, comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early completion of an effective and substantial Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) that is legally binding and in accordance with international law.
Following the talks, the two PMs witnessed the exchange of 22 cooperation documents between ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises of the two countries.
They jointly chaired a press conference on the main outcomes of their talks.
PM Kishida is making an official visit to Hanoi from April 30 to May 1.
PMs stress importance of substantively promoting Vietnam - Japan extensive strategic partnership
Prime Ministers Pham Minh Chinh and Kishida Fumio held a joint press conference and witnessed the exchange of Vietnam - Japan cooperation documents following their talks in Hanoi on May 1.
PM Chinh said during their successful talks, the two sides looked into the progress in the implementation of the agreements reached at their meeting in Tokyo last November. They reached high consensus on the orientations and detailed measures for opening up a new development stage for the “Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia” between Vietnam and Japan.
Accordingly, they affirmed the importance of promoting the extensive strategic partnership in a more substantive, effective, and extensive manner. They shared the view that the two countries have made new strides in developing strategic infrastructure of Vietnam, agreeing to work together to accelerate transport infrastructure projects.
The Vietnamese leader noted they also agreed to boost ties in post-pandemic economic recovery, increase the connectivity between the two economies and their production - supply chains, and step up partnerships in investment, trade, support industry development, digital transformation, innovation, smart city building, hi-tech agriculture, and energy transition.
PM Kishida has pledged continued assistance for Vietnam to realise socio-economic development targets, Chinh said, adding that the Vietnamese Government is determined to effectively use Japan’s official development assistance and continue improving the investment climate so as to create optimal conditions for investors, including those from Japan.
During their talks, they also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as the East Sea issue, the Ukraine situation, and non-traditional security challenges.
Pledging to enhance coordination to maintain regional peace and stability, they reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes without use of or threats to use force; seriously complying with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in activities at sea; respecting diplomatic and legal processes; fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and soon finalising a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea that is substantive, effective, and in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, PM Chinh went on.
Prime Ministers Pham Minh Chinh and Kishida Fumio witness the exchange of a memorandum of understanding on digital transformation cooperation by Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung (second, right) and Japanese Ambassador Yamada Takio (second, left) (Photo: VNA)
Regarding the Ukraine situation, he added, the two sides affirmed their respect for the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter, especially the principle of respecting the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, rights, and legal and legitimate interests of countries, as well as not threatening to use or using force in international relations. They called on the parties concerned to persistently promote dialogue and negotiations to seek durable peaceful solutions.
Vietnam expressed its all-round viewpoint on the humanitarian issue in Ukraine and that it is ready to actively contribute to humanitarian assistance activities, diplomatic process, dialogue, and negotiations.
In that spirit, Vietnam will provide 500,000 USD in humanitarian aid to Ukraine via international humanitarian organisations, PM Chinh told the media.
He said the two PMs agreed to work together to hold activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023 while bolstering locality-to-locality, cultural, people-to-people, and tourism cooperation.
The Vietnamese PM asked his counterpart to continue supporting the nearly 450,000 Vietnamese people in Japan. The two sides also affirmed they will cooperate to protect the Vietnamese community’s legitimate and legal interests, according to Chinh.
For his part, PM Kishida said they discussed measures for strengthening post-pandemic cooperation in a more substantive manner, including in supply chain diversification, digital transformation, and technological cooperation within the Asia-Japan Investing for the Future Initiative.
He added efforts will be made to soon complete the Metro Line No. 1 project in Ho Chi Minh City, improve the capacity of Vietnamese interns in Japan, help with energy transition in Vietnam, boost security - defence ties, and ensure cyber security.
Japan will do its utmost to open up new opportunities for bilateral relations on the occasion of their diplomatic ties’ 50th anniversary, Kishida stated.
At the press conference, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of 22 cooperation documents in various areas between their countries’ ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises.
Cooperation possibilities for Japan, Vietnam limitless: Japanese PM
Cooperation possibilities for Japan and Vietnam are limitless, said Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at a seminar on the two countries’ cooperation in technology renovation, digital transformation and supply chain diversification on May 1.
The Japanese Government leader attended the seminar during his official visit to Vietnam, together with his Vietnamese host Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Addressing the event, which was co-organised by Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry of Industry and Trade and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Kishida affirmed that Japan and Vietnam have been enhancing their partnership towards the post-pandemic period.
He recalled that during PM Chinh’s visit to Japan last November, the two sides had launched three initiatives on cooperation in technology and industrial development, digital transformation and supply chain diversification.
The Japanese PM elaborated that the key for Japanese enterprises to operate stably in Vietnam is the supporting industries of Vietnam, so the two sides should collaborate to enhance the capacity and technology for those industries.
Secondly, Japan and Vietnam also hope to continue working together to address socio-economic issues in many fields through digital transformation.
And thirdly, the impact of COVID-19 has made us realise the importance of diversifying supply chains, he said, adding that Vietnam is having an increasingly important role in the global supply chain. According to Kishida, among 92 Japanese-supported projects on diversifying supply chains in the ASEAN, Vietnam leads with 39 projects.
PM Chinh told the seminar that the Vietnamese Party and State have directed the promotion of science-technology development and innovation, in order to increase the capacity to access and participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution in service of rapid and sustainable national development.
He noted that the economies of Vietnam and Japan are highly supplementary and thus there is great potential for them to cooperate in many fields, particularly in technology, digital transformation and supply chain diversification.
Chinh stressed that Vietnam hopes for further coordination and support from the government and enterprises of Japan in the process of technology renovation, digital transformation and supply chain diversification.
“Our two countries can work together to accelerate their digital transformation process towards establishing a Digital Partnership,” he said.
The PM pledged that the Vietnamese government will always create every possible condition for Japanese and Vietnamese enterprises to intensify their partnership in all fields.
Participants at the seminar underlined that technology renovation and digital transformation have, more than ever, become an urgent need for Vietnamese enterprises in order to improve competitiveness, production efficiency and readiness to capitalize on new waves of investment prompted by multi-national corporations’ efforts to diversify their supply chains.
They agreed that with the resolve and support of high-ranking leaders of both Vietnam and Japan, the collaboration between the two countries in technology renovation, digital transformation and supply chain diversification will provide not only opportunities but also effective tools for both to realise their goal of sustainable development and contribute to their trustful strategic partnership.
Japanese PM attaches importance to relations with Vietnam: Foreign Press Secretary
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio always attaches importance to the Japan-Vietnam relations, Foreign Press Secretary Ono Hikariko said while chairing a virtual press conference on May 1 announcing the initial results of the Japanese PM’s on-going official visit to Vietnam.
She informed that during Kishida’s talks with his host Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, the two PMs discussed many important issues. In regards to economic cooperation, the Japanese PM laid stress on supply chain diversification, digital transformation and technology development.
Japan will bolster cooperation with Vietnam in energy transformation in a bid to reduce Vietnam's carbon emissions and enhance its natural disaster preparedness, Ono said.
The PMs also discussed a number of regional and international issues and consented to closely collaborate for the development of the Mekong region via the Japan-Mekong cooperation development fund. PM Kishida affirmed that Japan will protect the spirit and principles of the CPTPP.
Ono added that with 2023 marking the 50th founding anniversary of the Japan-Vietnam relations and the ASEAN-Japan ties, the PMs discussed ways to open up a new era for the countries on the occasion.
Responding to reporters’ queries on the significance of Kishida’s Vietnam visit to the Vietnam-Japan bilateral relations, she said the ties are at their best ever. The 50th founding anniversary will be an important milestone for the countries and the Japanese PM’s visit serves as a stepping stone for the event next year, she said.
Mentioning the initiative on net zero emission community, Ono said not only the two governments will cooperate on the idea but the private sector will also join in the effort.
As for a project on helping Vietnam improve its capacity to respond to natural disasters and climate change via earth observation satellites, she said Japan has experiences in the field and wishes to share them with Vietnam through this project.
Asked about cooperation in strategic infrastructure, the press secretary said during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Kishida has mentioned the completion of urban railway projects, adding that Japan will devise suitable infrastructure projects in Vietnam in accordance with studies of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as well as the country’s development trend.
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