The Japan Times highlights President Tran Dai Quang's visit (Photo: vov.vn)
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang’s State visit to Japan from May 29th to June 2nd affirms and consolidates the Vietnam - Japan extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia, Japan Times, the country’s largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper, wrote on May 28th.
According to the newspaper, President Quang’s visit is especially significant for the sound friendship between the two nations, which have reached mutual political trust, the article wrote, given that political ties have been developed and strengthened over the past 45 years by regular visits and meetings of their senior leaders at international and regional forums.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chose Vietnam for his first overseas trip after taking office in January 2013. He was also the first leader of the G7 nations to invite Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to attend the expanded G7 Summit, it said.
Japan and Vietnam always support each other at multilateral forums like the UN, ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, and UN Human Rights Council. Vietnam, with its location close to the East Sea and in the economic corridor connecting the Pacific and Indian Ocean, plays a very important role in Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy.
Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relation in 1973, and upgraded their ties to an Extensive Strategic Partnership in 2014.
The visit takes place as Japanese-Vietnamese relations are at an historical strong point. The two nations have maintained high-level visits and meetings at international and regional multilateral forums.
Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will meet and hold a state banquet to welcome Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse. President Tran Dai Quang will also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In 2017, Japan became the biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, with a stake of about USD9 billion, or 25 percent of the nation’s total foreign direct investment inflow.
Earlier, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda had an interview with a reporter from the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the President’s trip.
The Ambassador said the visit will be the most important among over 100 events celebrating the anniversary of the bilateral relationship.
He affirmed that Japan and Vietnam share many strategic interests, and Vietnam is one of Japan’s trustworthy partners./.