Overview of the press conference (Source: VNA)
PM Abe was speaking at a meeting with the press together with President Tran Dai Quang following their talks in Tokyo on May 31st.
The PM said he and President Quang agreed to step up cooperation in the areas that directly benefit Vietnamese people like medical collaboration within the framework of the Asian health initiative, and cultural and sport exchanges, including Japanese language teaching programmes.
He described President Quang’s visit as a symbol of cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
The host said he and the Vietnamese State leader will take advantage of the visit in order to join hands to further boost the Vietnam-Japan relationship across sectors.
PM Abe thanked President Quang for successfully hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the central city of Da Nang last year.
He applauded Vietnam’s very important role in completing the negotiations of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to which both Vietnam and Japan are signatories.
President Quang showed his delight at the growth of the Vietnam-Japan partnership over the past 45 years, with rapid and practical development recorded in all fields and similarities in strategic interests.
He agreed that 2018 is an important year opening a new phase of development in bilateral relationship, matching the benefit of both sides.
The Vietnamese leader said Vietnam highly values the leading role of Japan and PM Shinzo Abe in the negotiation and signing of the CPTPP.
He said that leaders of Vietnam and Japan concurred to enhance political trust through maintaining regular high-level visits and meetings, strengthening parliamentary exchange, and fostering cooperation in defence, security as well as people-to-people contact, especially in 2018.
The two sides will continue promoting connectivity in economy for mutual benefit, he stated, adding that Japan will increase investment in Vietnam, create favourable conditions for Vietnamese agricultural products to be sold in Japan and strengthen cooperation in major projects in infrastructure, high-quality human resources training, climate change response, as well as in the implementation of Vietnam’s industrialization strategy.
The two countries will coordinate closely in using Japanese ODA.
Leaders of Vietnam and Japan also agreed to focus on affiliating in agriculture, health care, environment, labour, urban construction and development, administrative reform, culture, and local cooperation.
Vietnam and Japan will start the negotiation for agreements on criminal mutual legal assistance and transfer of sentenced persons.
Regarding regional and international issues, the two leaders agreed on the importance of a free, open, stable, rules-based and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.
They committed to mutually supporting as the candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2020-2021 for Vietnam, and 2023-2024 for Japan.
The two countries will closely coordinate when Vietnam is the coordinating country for the ASEAN-Japan relationship from August 2018.
While affirming the need to ensure peace, security, navigation and aviation freedom and safety in the East Sea, the leaders agreed to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes without the use of force or threat to use force, and the stringent respect for international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They also underlined the importance to respect diplomatic and legal processes, fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and striving to reach a framework of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in a practical and effective manner./.