Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held talks in Tokyo on May 28 following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese PM.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

The two leaders compared notes and reached high consensus on major orientations and specific measures to develop the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership in a comprehensive, pragmatic and more effective manner in the time ahead.

They expressed their delight at the strong and substantive developments in the bilateral cooperation over the past years, especially in economy, agriculture and exchanges between localities.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated Japan on its successful organisation of the G7 Summit and the expanded G7 Summit.

He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of regarding Japan as a leading and long-term partner.

For his part, PM Shinzo Abe congratulated Nguyen Xuan Phuc on his new post as head of the Vietnamese Government.

He extended thanks to PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc for attending the expanded G7 Summit, and applauded the Vietnamese Government leader’s speech delivered at the event.

Japan attaches importance to the relationship with Vietnam and wishes to continue closely cooperating with the country in order to push forward the bilateral ties in a more comprehensive fashion, he said.

The two PMs agreed to boost political trust by maintaining regular exchanges of high-ranking delegations and meetings on the sideline of international forums, and by enhancing the efficiency of bilateral dialogue mechanisms.

They said they will reinforce defence and security cooperation, particularly in dealing with war-aftermath and UN peacekeeping missions.

Abe said he hopes to revisit Vietnam soon.

Both sides also agreed to seek specific measures to promote connectivity between the two economies in terms of economic strategies, production resources and human resources via investment and trade cooperation and official development assistance (ODA).

PM Shinzo Abe stated Japan will continue offering ODA for Vietnam’s infrastructure development and climate change response.

He said Japan will work closely with Vietnam in implementing an initiative on boosting Japan-Mekong link and a 110-billion-USD credit plan to develop high-quality infrastructure in Asia.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for Japan’s support for Vietnam accessing preferential loans from international financial organisations, including those from the World Bank’s International Development Association after 2017.

The two sides agreed to boost Japan’s investment in Vietnam via the implementation of Phase VI of the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative in 2016. They pledged close cooperation in the implementation of Vietnam’s Industrialisation Strategy within the framework of the Vietnam-Japan cooperation until 2020 with a vision to 2030, and acceleration of big projects on infrastructure, including the North-South Highway and the Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant.

The two sides discussed measures to promote the cooperation in trade and hi-tech agriculture, and create conditions for each other’s agri-products to enter the other’s market.

The two sides also reached agreement on enhancing cooperation in health, the training of human resources and Japan’s reception of Vietnamese trainees, while continuing to implement the Vietnam-Japan University project as well as bolstering tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Concerning climate change, PM Shinzo Abe announced a non-refundable aid worth 300 million JPY (2.5 million USD) to assist Vietnam in dealing with drought and salt water intrusion. He affirmed Japan will work with Vietnam to seek medium and long term solutions to those problems, adding that Japan is ready to provide official development assistance capital to build dams and reservoirs based on specific requests from Vietnam. In the immediate future, Japan will send JICA’s experts to conduct surveys under the Water Management Project in Ben Tre province.

Discussing international and regional issues of common concern, PM Shinzo Abe affirmed Japan would coordinate with Vietnam in the preparation for the APEC Year in 2017.

The two sides shared the international community’s deep concerns on East Sea situation in recent time, particularly the large-scale artificial build-up. They agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of maritime and aviation in the East Sea.

The relevant sides should not take actions changing the status quo or further complicating and expanding disputes and militarizing in the East Sea, the two PMs said, stressing that disputes should be solved via peaceful measures on the basis of respect for diplomatic and legal procedures, full observance of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS ) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea ( DOC ) while striving for the early formation of a Code of Conduct ( COC ) in the East Sea.

After the talks, the two PM witnessed the exchange of five cooperation documents, of which four are on ODA loans worth a total of 166 billion JPY (1.5 billion USD) for the urban railway No1 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Thai Binh thermoelectricity plant; the second phase of Ho Chi Minh City’s water environment improvement work. The fifth document is a stock purchase agreement between the Vietnam Airlines and Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc.

The two leaders then met with the media on the outcomes of their talks.

On the same day, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc received officials of some Japan’s organisations and businesses including Chairman of the Japan International Cooperation Agency Shinichi Kitaoka, Honorary Chairman of the Mitsubishi Group Kojima Yorihiko, and Governor of Aichi Prefecture Hideaki Omura. He also visited Yokoyama farm in Aichi Prefecture.

On the same day evening, PM Shinzo Abe held a banquet for his Vietnamese counterpart.

Vietnam values Japan’s continued ODA provision

Vietnam appreciates Japan’s commitment to the continued provision of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam’s socio-economic development, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at the joint press conference in Japan.

The Vietnamese leader made the statement while chairing a joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on May 28 on the outcomes of their talks.

Japan affirmed that it will work closely with Vietnam in implementing the 110-billion-USD credit plan to develop high-quality infrastructure in Asia, as well as the initiative on boosting Japan-Mekong link, he said.

Vietnam called for Japan’s continued support for Vietnam to access preferential loans from international financial organisations, including those from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) after 2017, he added.

PM Phuc extended thanks to his Japanese counterpart for his announcement on an emergency aid worth 300 million JPY (2.5 million USD) for Vietnam to deal with drought and saltwater intrusion and his commitment to working with Vietnam to seek medium and long term solutions to these problems.

He congratulated the Japanese PM and his government on the successful organisation of the G7 Summit and the expanded G7 Summit, saying that the attained outcomes are essential to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

He also highlighted the host’s initiatives on the stabilisation of the Middle East, health care improvement, and women empowerment.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe underlined the success of the talks, saying that the two sides have reached major consensus on developing the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership in a more comprehensive, pragmatic and effective manner in the time ahead.

Vietnam and Japan have agreed to enhance political trust via the regular exchange of visits, meetings and dialogues at all levels, especially the high level, he said.

They discussed measures to promote the connectivity between the two economies and agreed on a number of cooperation contents in the fields of infrastructure, energy and aviation.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc also told reporters that during the talks, the two sides agreed to foster cooperation at international and regional forums.

The two PMs shared the concerns of the international community and ASEAN on the East Sea situation in recent time, particularly the large-scale artificial build-up.

They agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of maritime and aviation in the East Sea. The relevant sides are not allowed to take actions changing the status quo or further complicating and expanding disputes and militarising in the sea.

They stressed that disputes should be solved via peaceful measures on the basis of respecting diplomatic and legal procedures, fully observing international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) while striving for the early formation of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

Prime Minister back to Hanoi following Japan visit

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage arrived in Hanoi on May 29, concluding the Japan visit at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

During the three-day stay, PM Phuc attended the plenary session of the expanded Group of Seven (G7) Summit in the Japanese prefecture of Mie, held talks with PM Abe in Tokyo and met bilaterally with leaders of G7 and guest countries and international organisations.

It was the first time Vietnam had been invited to the Summit, marking its enhanced role in the region and the world.

In his speech, the Vietnamese PM hailed Japan’s decision to expand its Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure initiative. He also shared G7 and ASEAN member states’ concerns over threat to peace, stability and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

He called on parties concerned to exercise restraint, settle disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and strengthen measures to build trust and preventive diplomacy, towards the early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

The PM pressed for practical actions to enhance an environment of peace and stability as well as settle common issues in the region and the world, particularly sustainable development goals, infrastructure ramp-up, disaster prevention, climate change response, anti-terrorism, food and water resources security, among others.

He expressed his firm belief in the G7 member countries’ important role in shoring up global economic recovery, trade and investment connectivity as well as effectively dealing with global development challenges.

Leaders of G7 countries and others called for support to ASEAN member states in building high-quality infrastructure and boosting connectivity and trust building in order to deal with hot spots in the region and the world, including maritime and aviation safety and security in the East Sea and East China Sea.

On the sidelines of the summit, the leader met bilaterally with Sri Lankan President, Secretary General of the United Nations, General Director of the International Monetary Fund, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, French President, Canadian PM, President of the European Commission and President of the European Council, UK PM, German Chancellor, US President, Italian PM and President of the World Bank.

During the meetings, the PM wished that countries and partners would work closely with Vietnam at multilateral forums in the region and the world, including supporting Vietnam’s run for non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and Director General of UNESCO for the 2017-2021 tenure.

Vietnam always strives to develop ties with countries globally in the spirit of being a friend, trustworthy partner and responsible member of the international community, he said.

Speaking to 1,500 Japanese firms at the Vietnam – Japan high-level economic policy dialogue in the tourist city of Nagoya, PM Phuc pledged to continue fine-tuning legal regulations to create a more stable and transparent business environment for investors, particularly Japanese ones.

During their talks in Tokyo on May 28, the Vietnamese and Japanese PMs reached consensus on specific measures to lift the bilateral extensive strategic partnership in the foreseeable future, including strengthening political trust via regular visits and exchanges on the fringes of international conferences, joint work in the UN peacekeeping mission and post-war recovery.

They stressed the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, sharing view that parties concerned should prevent actions that change the status quo, complicate and extend disputes and militarisation in the East Sea while seriously abiding by international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and the DOC towards reaching a COC.

Following the talks, host and guest witnessed the signing of five agreements, four of them relate to the provision of official development assistance worth 1.5 billion USD for Vietnam.

VNA