National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung received the President of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tanigaki Sadakazu in Hanoi on January 9.
Chairman Hung welcomed Sadakazu’s visit to Vietnam, saying the visit will contribute to promoting the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership.

He thanked the LDP President for his efforts in strengthening relations between the two countries and the two parliaments and affirmed that Vietnam considers Japan one of its leading priorities in the country’s external policy.

Hung said he is delighted at recent developments in the relations between the two countries and the two legislatures.

He said he wants the two sides to increase cooperative programmes and projects to match the strategic partnership.

Regarding ties between the legislative bodies, he said both are increasing cooperation at bilateral and multilateral forums in order to promote cooperation in trade, investment and science and technology.

Hung asked the two countries to further enhance cooperation in health care, education and cultural exchange.

The Chairman said he agrees on the two sides enhancing cooperation on defence and security to maintain peace in the region and the world.

Tanigaki Sadakazu said he hopes the two legislative bodies will continue boosting exchanges among leaders as well as parliamentarians.

He took this opportunity to thank the National Assembly and people of Vietnam for their support and help to Japan following the recent earthquake and tsunami disaster.

The LDP President said Japan always places importance on economic cooperation with Vietnam.

More than 1,000 Japanese businesses are operating in Vietnam, he said, adding that the number is expected to increase in the future.

He said he wants the two countries to increase comprehensive cooperation, especially in economics, politics, diplomacy, security and defence.

The same day, Prime Minister Dung received the LDP President, praising the Japanese Government and political parties for supporting measures to boost the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership.

PM Dung also thanked Japan for its effective official development assistance to Vietnam .

For his part, Sadakazu stated that potential for cooperation between Japan and Vietnam is great, so the two countries should ensure effective measures to tap this potential for common benefits and development.

Also the same day, To Huy Rua, Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, met with LDP President Tanigaki Sadakazu.

Japanese government and political parties’ support for Vietnam highlighted

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has praised the Japanese Government and political parities for supporting Vietnam in all fields.

At a reception for the President of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tanigaki Sadakazu, in Hanoi on January 9, PM Dung said he hopes the LDP and the Japanese Diet will continue to support cooperative programmes and projects between Vietnam and Japan, particularly in such fields as economics, trade and investment as well as negotiations for the signing of Vietnam-Japan economic cooperation agreements.

Vietnam has achieved greater international integration during the development process and the country needs more support from international community including Japan. The fruitful comprehensive cooperation between the two countries over the past few years has paid off well and the Vietnamese Government will do its best to make the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership more comprehensive and realistic, Mr Dung said.

For his part, the LDP President thanked Vietnam for its valuable support and effective aid for Japan to overcome the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami last March, while praising Vietnam’s efforts to cope with global economic downturn.

Mr Sadakazu said his party is willing to support measures to promote cooperation in various fields between Vietnam and Japan, adding that both nations have great potential for cooperation and development and need to come up with more effective solutions to boost bilateral cooperation for mutual benefits.

At a meeting with the LDP President on the same day, Politburo member and Secretariat of the Party Central Committee To Huy Rua said the LDP chief’s visit will contribute to strengthening the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership for the sake of peace and prosperity in Asia.

Mr Rua expressed his sympathy for the great losses caused by last year’s catastrophic earthquake and tsunami and his admiration for Japanese’s efforts to overcome difficulties to restore national development.

Despite facing numerous difficulties in 2011, Japan is still committed to increasing ODA funding for Vietnam and accelerating the implementation of major projects, particularly those on developing transport infrastructure in the country. Vietnam is striving to become a modern industrialized nation by 2020 while Japan has been a developed nation by international standards. Speeding up the development of bilateral ties will practically benefit both nations, Mr Rua noted.

For his pat, Mr Sadakazu said he was pleased at Vietnam’s effective use of Japan’s ODA effectively to keep the national economy purring along and pledged to further boost the strategic partnership between the two countries for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region.

State leader receives Japanese bank’s Vice President

President Truong Tan Sang on January 9 hosted a reception in Hanoi for the Vice President of the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) Fumio Hoshi.

Fumio Hoshi reported that Vietnam ranks 4 th in the evaluation list made by Japanese overseas investment businesses in the manufacturing sector during the past 20 years and that Japanese businesses consider Vietnam a reliable investment destination.

He also spoke highly of Vietnam’s growth rate in the context of a difficult economic situation, expressing his hope that Vietnam’s relevant agencies will further cooperate with JBIC and Japanese businesses to implement major projects in energy, oil refining and seaports.

President Sang thanked the Japanese Government and JBIC for their supportive policies toward Vietnam , affirming that Vietnam will make more efforts to improve its infrastructure system, reduce the budget deficit, control inflation and restructure public investment.

He said he hopes that JBIC will encourage more businesses to invest in Vietnam.

VNA