Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the opening session of the Summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations.

On the morning of December 17, in Tokyo, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries and Japan attended the opening ceremony of the Summit celebrating 50 years of ASEAN-Japan relations.

Thủ tướng Phạm Minh Chính dự Hội nghị cấp cao kỷ niệm 50 năm quan hệ ASEAN-Nhật Bản

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Photo: Duong Giang)

After the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and ASEAN and Japanese leaders will attend the main sessions "Review and orientation of ASEAN-Japan cooperation" and "World and regional situation".

Next, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the leaders will have a working lunch on "Heart-to-heart partnership across generations" and "Co-creative partnership for future economic and social development".

After 50 years, ASEAN-Japan relations have developed comprehensively and dynamically in all areas: politics, security, economics, trade, investment, culture, society and development cooperation. Japan has participated extensively in regional political-security cooperation processes; supporting ASEAN's solidarity, unity and central role.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with ASEAN and Japanese leaders at the opening ceremony. (Photo: Duong Giang)

Economic and investment cooperation between ASEAN and Japan is implemented through various mechanisms/frameworks, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP). Japan is also an active partner in implementing the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and supporting the narrowing of the development gap within ASEAN.

In 2022, Japan was ASEAN's fourth largest trading partner and second largest FDI investor, with two-way trade reaching US$268.5 billion. Total FDI from Japan to ASEAN reached US$26.7 billion, up 27.7% over the previous year.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation attended the opening session of the Conference. (Photo: Duong Giang)

In the context of the world and the region facing new challenges and unpredictable developments, on the basis of the good relationship between the two sides and open potential and opportunities, ASEAN and Japan both wish to strengthen cooperation and connectivity to respond to common challenges and develop together.

The ASEAN-Japan Summit, held right after ASEAN and Japan established the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, is an opportunity for senior leaders of both sides to review the results of cooperation, thereby setting out orientations for developing relations in the new period, commensurate with the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Panorama of the opening ceremony of the ASEAN-Japan Summit to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. (Photo: Duong Giang)

Vietnam is an active and responsible member of ASEAN and in promoting Japan-ASEAN relations, especially Vietnam's successful role as coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations for the 2018-2021 period.

Source