Developing and deepening Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong is received at Haneda Airport in Tokyo (photo: VOV)

Along with visits to China and the United States (April and July 2015), the visit to Japan by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is one of the most important diplomatic activities of the year, in line with a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, persification and deepening relationships with major partners. The visit is an event of political significance, aiming to deepen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan, for peace and prosperity in Asia.

The visit to Japan of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong takes place as the world and the region experience many new developments. Large countries are joining together to strengthen their roles, increase influence and promote co-operation. In particular, Japan is pooling its efforts to raise its political position to match its economic strength, and sees Southeast Asia as a strategic area for implementing the strategy to promote economic diplomacy and expand co-operation in the region.

Sharing many common strategic interests, in recent years the strategic partnership between the two countries has continued with substantial development across all sectors of the economy, politics, diplomacy, security and defense. Japan attaches importance to the growing position and role of Vietnam. The political trust between the two countries is increasing. The two sides maintain frequent visits and high level contacts, exchange channels of their respective Party and National Assembly along with people-to-people exchanges. Japan continues to be the leading economic partner, the top ODA provider, the largest investor and the fourth largest bilateral trade partner of Vietnam. As of the end of 2013, Japan had committed to provide over US$26.1 billion of ODA loans for Vietnam. Currently, Japanese investment in Vietnam has total registered FDI capital of over US$37.7 billion. In 2014, two-way trade exceeded US$27.6 billion, of which Vietnam’s exports stood at more than US$14.7 billion and imports at nearly US$13 billion. In the first half of this year, the figure reached US$13.9 billion.

Japan was the first G7 country to recognise the market economy status of Vietnam (October, 2011). Many projects supported by Japan have contributed positively to the economic development of Vietnam, such as the North-South highway, Nhat Tan bridge, and Noi BaiAirport T2Terminal. Co-operation between localities of the two countries in recent years has been boosted. The two sides actively utilise the strengths of each other, and support each other in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect, cooperation and benefit. Co-operation between the two countries in other fields such as science and technology, labor, tourism, education, training, and culture is increasingly effective. Vietnam and Japan co-operate in multilateral fora, and actively participate in joint efforts to cope with challenges and new threats, maintaining peace and international security.

During the visit, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong plans to meet with King of Japan Akihito, holdtalks with the Prime MinisterShinzo Abe, talk with Japanese leaders, and hear the opinions of business, friendship associations of the two countries to take measures to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity.

The Japan visit of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is expected to be successful, continuing to strengthen friendly relations and political trust between the two countries, and deepening the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan, thus bringing benefits to the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and around the world./.

Source: Nhandanonline