Vietnam, Japan to Boost Strategic Partnership

Talking with his counterpart Shinzo Abe in Hanoi on November 19, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that developing comprehensive, effective and strategic cooperation with Japan is a top priority and consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State.

 

The Vietnamese Prime Minister welcomed the first visit to Vietnam by Abe since he took office in September this year, describing the visit as an important milestone marking a new stage of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan - the stage of strategic partnership.

PM Abe, meanwhile, affirmed Japan's consistent policy of placing importance on relations with Vietnam and continuing to boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the country and to help it successfully realize the target of national industrialization and modernization.

During the meeting after APEC 2006 Summit, the two prime ministers agreed on maintaining and strengthening high-level meetings and annual political, economic, diplomatic, security and defence exchanges; efficiently implementing the second phase of the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative; and establishing a joint cooperation committee led by the foreign ministers of the two countries.

 

Abe agreed to consider three infrastructure projects in Vietnam, including the North-South railway and highway and the Hoa Lac hi-tech park, which needs ODA for implementation. Japan will send a mission to Vietnam to study these projects. Abe also pledged to assist the urban railway network project for Ho Chi Minh City. 

 

The two sides also set a target of bringing two-way trade to $15 billion in 2010 from $8 billion a year currently. To meet the target, Japan pledged to further open the door to Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products, textile and garment, and crude oil. Vietnam, meanwhile, will increase imports of mechanical products, steel, electronic goods, motorbike, and textile materials from Japan.

 

While exchanging views on regional and international issues, the two leaders affirmed both countries' wish to contribute to peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world through forums, including the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and East Asia Summit.

 

The talks were then expanded with participation of leaders from big economic groups of Vietnam and from the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), led by Chairman Fujio Mitarai, and representatives from 130 businesses accompanying Abe.

Chairman Mitairai and representatives from Japanese businesses expressed their strong support and their wish to cooperate in major projects of Vietnam, such as the North-South railway and highway and the Hoa Lac hi-tech park. They proposed Vietnam continue to improve its investment environment.

 

PM Dung paid an official visit to Japan one month ago.