Vietnam, Japan should work together for regional peace: Deputy PM

The Deputy PM said this during a meeting with the Japanese PM on October 10 as part of his ongoing visit to Japan, proposing that the two countries continue to enhance cooperation on national defence and security.

He expressed wish that Japan will keep up ODA provision to Vietnam in the 2014 fiscal year, while fostering cooperation with the country in agriculture, especially offshore tuna fishing, and helping Vietnam improve agricultural value chain and build a quality standard system for farm produce.

Deputy PM Phuc also called for stronger bilateral judicial cooperation, suggesting that Japan support Vietnam in training lawyers.

At the same time, Phuc asked PM Abe to pay attention to the project to build an aerospace centre and launch an earth observation satellite in Vietnam so that the project is carried out on schedule as agreed between the two governments.

He conveyed PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s invitation to visit Vietnam to PM Abe who accepted it with pleasure

On his part, the Japanese PM reaffirmed the importance of Vietnam in his country’s external policy, pledging that he will work harder to speed up cooperation projects between the two countries, including those on judicial reform, trade, agriculture, and support industry.

He said he hopes the two countries will further strengthen people-to-people contacts through simplifying visa procedure and sending Vietnamese nurses and apprentices to Japan .

PM Abe also noted that Japan is working with concern countries in order to early realise aerospace cooperation plan with Vietnam .

The same day, Deputy PM Phuc held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, during which he proposed that Vietnam and Japan increase high-level visits and meetings and effectively implement dialogue mechanisms.

He lauded Japanese Government’s move to loosen visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, suggesting that the country continue to consider the exemption of short-term visa for Vietnamese.

He also called for closer cooperation between the two countries at regional and international forums as well as in the building of economic linkage frameworks such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Kishida said Japan is keen to beef up the strategic partnership with Vietnam in all fields, saying that ODA cooperation plays an important role in bilateral partnership.

Japan hopes to work with Vietnam for the successful negotiations for TPP and RCEP, he stated.

Kishida also affirmed that peace and stability in the East Sea is a matter of common concern for the international community.

Also on October 10, Deputy PM Phuc had a working session with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and witnessed the signing of a letter of intent between the Justice Ministry and JICA on technical support for Vietnam ’s legal and judicial reforms during the 2015-2020 period.

JICA representatives also presented a certificate of merit to Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong in recognition of his contributions to the development of the Vietnam-Japan judicial partnership during the past 20 years.

Deputy PM Phuc, the same day, toured the Tsukuba Space Centre in Ibaraki prefecture where he witnessed the signing of a joint statement on bolstering affiliation between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Under the statement, the two sides will work hand-in-hand in specifying their future cooperation potential related to remote sensing satellite, the application and development of small satellites and personnel training.

Later on October 10, PM Phuc presented the Labour Medal first class to the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan.

VNA