Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s trip to Japan from October 8-10 has been a resoundingsuccess, contributing to enhancing political trust and friendly cooperationbetween Vietnam and Japan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung hassaid.
Following the leader’sattendance at the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit and overall visit to Japan, Trungtold the press that the two sides have agreed to cooperate closely with eachother in order to deepen their extensive strategic partnership across many fields.
They will also join hands atinternational forums, for the sake of each country, and for peace, stability,and cooperation in the region and the world alike.
PM Phuc and his Japanesecounterpart Shinzo Abe committed to promoting ASEAN-Japan relations, especiallyas Vietnamis working as a coordinator of the ASEAN-Japan Dialogue.
PM Abe applauded Vietnam’s role,position, and contributions to regional and international issues, wishing to workclosely with the country to reach a result-orientated agreement on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2018, and push ahead with theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Regarding the East Sea issue,participating countries stressed the significance of maintaining peace,security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation; ensuring legal orderin the East Sea; and settling disputes by peaceful measures.
They took note of concernsover complex developments in the East Sea and the need to implement the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration onthe Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as to soon finalise aneffective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
The Japanese side said itattaches great importance to Vietnamin its regional policy, and stands ready to cooperate with Vietnam for thecountry’s sustainable development.
Trung said the lift ofMekong-Vietnam cooperation to a strategic partnership is expected to help fostermultilateral collaboration between Vietnam and Japan, and to contribute towider regional connectivity.
Within the Mekong-Japancooperation framework, there have been hundreds of projects worth tens ofbillions of US dollars. Over the past three years, Japanhas allocated around 7 billion USD to the mechanism, contributing to the developmentof the Mekong countries, including Vietnam.
Trung said he believes that Vietnam will have more opportunities to mobiliseresources for the development of transport infrastructure, energy, digitaleconomy, personnel training, MekongRiver water resource useand management, and climate change response.
The partnership will alsohelp build a region of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Mekong,he said. –VNA
VNA
