Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Japanese Prime Minister SugaYoshihide will pay an official visit to Vietnam in the very near future at theinvitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Foreign Ministryspokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed on October 15.
She made the announcement at a regular press conference of the ForeignMinistry in Hanoi.
This would be PM Suga’s first overseas trip just a month after hetook office. He follows his predecessor in selecting Vietnam for his first foreign destination after taking office, she noted.
The visit will take place in the context of the fruitfully developing Vietnam-Japan extensivestrategic partnership, she said, adding that Japan hasremained Vietnam’s leading economic partner, largest ODA provider, second-largestinvestor, and fourth-largest trade partner.
It aims to further enhance the bilateral relationship, seek ways to stepup cooperation in sectors such as trade, investment, human resources, educationand training, and culture, and provide a forum for discussing regional andinternational issues of shared concern.
PM Suga is scheduled to hold talks with PM Phuc, meet with otherVietnamese leaders, and engage in other activities, according to thespokesperson.
“Vietnam welcomes PM Suga’s selection of Vietnam for his first overseastrip after taking office,” Hang said. “This is a vivid demonstration of thefruitful, strong, and practical development of the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategicpartnership across different spheres.”
“We believe that the visit will go well and contribute significantly topromoting the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership as well as the post-COVID-19socio-economic recovery and development of the two countries,” she continued.
Hang said that during the talks between the two PMs, both sides will lookat cooperation in certain fields, including national defence, in order tofoster result-oriented cooperation in the field.
The two sides will also coordinate and effectively implementpartnerships in peace-keeping, and strengthen collaboration in national defencewithin multilateral frameworks.
Hang reiterated Vietnam’s persistent policies on national defence, peace,and self-defence.
The Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership is developing positively in areas like investment, trade, culture, education, and national defence andsecurity, she stressed./.
VNA
