Vietnam - Japan upgrade relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Kishida announced that Vietnam and Japan have upgraded their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.

President Vo Van Thuong announced the upgrading of Vietnam-Japan relations on November 27. Video: VTV

President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida today held talks and delivered a joint press statement at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office. The two leaders issued a Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam-Japan relations to "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World", thereby affirming their desire to jointly promote cooperation in all fields to new heights and expand to new areas of cooperation.

"This is an important event, opening a new chapter in the Vietnam-Japan relationship that develops substantially, comprehensively, effectively, closely, meets the interests of both sides, and contributes to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world," President Vo Van Thuong told the press after the talks.

In the Joint Statement, the two leaders assessed that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, especially since the two countries upgraded to the Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia in 2014, Vietnam-Japan relations have had impressive, strong and comprehensive development.

Prime Minister Kishida affirmed Japan's commitment to supporting a "strong, independent, self-reliant Vietnam that successfully carries out industrialization and modernization", as well as the importance of Vietnam in implementing Japan's foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific region, and highly appreciated Vietnam's positive and constructive contributions to international and regional issues.

President Vo Van Thuong said that Vietnam always considers Japan one of its leading and long-term important partners, and hopes that Japan will continue to promote its leading role in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two leaders agreed on areas of cooperation that will be enhanced between the two countries in the coming time, aiming to contribute to peace and prosperity not only for the two countries and peoples, but also for the Asian region and the world.

In the field of multi-level and multi-layered dialogue and contact , the two sides maintain annual high-level exchanges and contacts, enhance people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation.

Vietnam and Japan will effectively implement bilateral dialogue mechanisms and consider establishing new mechanisms. The two countries welcome the close cooperation between the two foreign ministries and create favorable conditions for the diplomatic and consular representative agencies of the two countries to operate smoothly.

Regarding security and defense , the two sides affirmed to strengthen substantive and effective cooperation in the fields of defense, United Nations peacekeeping operations, overcoming the consequences of war such as mine clearance, dioxin detoxification, military medicine, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, human resource training, and transfer of defense equipment and technology to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.

The two countries agreed on the importance of pursuing the implementation of the procedures of the Agreement on the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology signed in September 2021.

Prime Minister Kishida explained that Japan has established a new cooperation framework, called "Official Security Assistance" (OSA), to deepen security cooperation, and contribute to maintaining and strengthening international peace and security.

The two leaders agreed to promote cooperation on maritime safety and security through activities such as joint training, information sharing and capacity building of the two countries' Coast Guards.

Vietnam and Japan continue to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and affirm the importance of cooperation to ensure economic security, in which Japan continues to support Vietnam in building an independent, self-reliant economy, deeply integrating internationally, and carrying out industrialization and modernization with the goal of becoming a developed country by 2045.

The two leaders welcomed the prospect that the value of Japanese yen loans in fiscal 2023 could exceed 100 billion yen for the first time since fiscal 2017. The two sides will make efforts to resolve remaining difficulties in the implementation of Japanese ODA projects through a cooperation mechanism.

The two countries look forward to enhancing the resilience of supply chains to ensure stable production operations for the benefit of both sides, taking into account the importance of transparent, diverse, secure, sustainable and stable supply chains.

President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Kishida held a press conference after talks at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office today. Photo: VNA

Regarding human resource development, culture, tourism, local and people-to-people exchanges, the two sides encourage Vietnamese students to study in Japan, enhance educational exchanges between the two countries, and promote Japanese language teaching in Vietnam.

The two countries will enhance people-to-people exchanges through activities such as tourism and cultural festivals, as well as create a favorable environment for citizens of the two countries to travel, while promoting the dispatch of Vietnamese interns and workers in fields suitable to the needs of the two countries.

In a number of new areas such as energy, environment, science and technology, green transformation, digital transformation, and innovation, the two countries will promote cooperation in the fields of smart grids, smart cities, electricity market development, and energy industry localization.

Vietnam and Japan will increase cooperation in the development and innovation of the digital economy, aiming to create momentum for rapid and sustainable economic growth. The two leaders acknowledged the importance of facilitating the free flow of data across borders, developing digital connectivity, and promoting consumer and business confidence in the digital economy.

In other areas, the two sides will increase cooperation in law and justice, health, construction, transportation, disaster risk reduction and urban development.

Japan will strengthen technical assistance and promote projects, including underground space management, urban underground works and water-related disaster risk reduction, "Smart JAMP" - a smart city program based on the ASEAN-Japan joint partnership, national standards for seaports, etc.

On regional and international issues, the two leaders emphasized   the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter to promote cooperation and achieve peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

Vietnam and Japan reaffirmed the importance of solidarity and the central role of ASEAN, and agreed to work together to enhance the effectiveness and role of Mekong-Japan cooperation.

The two leaders expressed concern about the situation in the East Sea and reaffirmed the importance of avoiding unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion and increase tensions.

The two sides affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight, and unimpeded lawful economic activities in the East Sea, self-restraint, and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and reaffirmed that UNCLOS is the most comprehensive international legal basis for the sea.

Vnexpress.net