- Could you please tell us about the significance and importance of President Vo Van Thuong's official visit to Japan?
- This is the first official visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong, taking place on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Japan diplomatic relations (September 21, 1973 - September 21, 2023). During the visit, the President is expected to meet with the Emperor and Empress of Japan, hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, deliver a policy speech at the Japanese National Assembly, meet and exchange with leaders of the National Assembly, representatives of political , economic, scientific, cultural circles... and visit Fukuoka province. This visit is an important highlight event on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with three main meanings:
Firstly , the visit will bring the bilateral relationship to a new level through promoting more substantive and effective cooperation in all areas, from politics, economics, trade, investment, defense and security to local cooperation and people-to-people exchange, while expanding to new areas of cooperation that suit the interests of both sides.
Second , the visit contributes to strengthening political trust, enhancing close exchanges and interactions between the two countries' senior leaders. With this visit, all four senior Vietnamese leaders have exchanged and met with Japanese leaders in 2023. Since the beginning of the year, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had a phone call (March 2023), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio (May 2023), and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held talks with President of the Japanese House of Councilors Otsuji Hidehisa (September 2023).
Third , in the context of the rapidly evolving and complicated international and regional situation, the visit affirms Vietnam's foreign policy of continuing to consider Japan as a leading and long-term important partner, wishing to work with Japan to promote common interests for the development of each country as well as in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
With the above significance and importance, I believe that the official visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong and his wife will be a great success, contributing to promoting the multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Japan to develop strongly, substantially and comprehensively in all fields in the coming time.
- After 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Vietnam - Japan relations have achieved many successes. According to the Deputy Minister, how will this visit open a new page for the cooperative relationship between the two countries?
- It can be affirmed that the cooperation between Vietnam and Japan is in the best and most intimate period in history, bearing fruit and achieving great achievements in all fields. The two countries always consider each other as reliable partners, closely connected in many fields of politics, security - defense, economy, culture, education - training, tourism, human resource cooperation..., in which, economic cooperation is a bright spot with many outstanding achievements.
Japan is currently the largest ODA provider to Vietnam (about 30 billion USD), the second largest labor cooperation partner, the third largest tourism and investment partner, and the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam. The two countries have also promoted cooperation in new areas such as innovation, science and technology, digital transformation, green transformation, energy, climate change response, etc. Local cooperation, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchange have made positive progress. In international forums such as ASEAN, APEC, and the United Nations, the two countries always cooperate closely, support each other, and join hands to solve international and regional issues of common concern.
On the basis of close and extensive cooperation in these areas, I believe that President Vo Van Thuong's visit this time will contribute to deepening the friendly cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in the following areas:
Deepen political trust, increase contact and exchange between senior leaders of the two countries and leaders of departments, ministries, branches and localities with Japanese partners.
Continue to build economic cooperation as the main pillar of the bilateral relationship through enhancing cooperation in investment, ODA, trade, labor, human resource training, etc., thereby helping Vietnam to achieve three strategic breakthroughs: industrialization, modernization, building an independent, self-reliant economy, and comprehensive and deep international integration.
Vietnam hopes that the two countries will effectively implement the new generation ODA program, continue to promote cooperation in attracting Japanese ODA loans in the fields of infrastructure, climate change response, and human resource training; promote investment cooperation, attract new generation, high-quality investment capital from Japanese enterprises; continue to maintain the sustainable growth momentum of bilateral trade turnover; coordinate to improve the efficiency of utilizing and implementing economic agreements between the two sides or the two countries are both members such as WTO, APEC, CPTPP, RCEP, AJCEP...; strengthen labor cooperation, human resource training, especially high-quality human resources.
Promoting cooperation in new areas such as information technology, innovation, green transformation, digital transformation, climate change response...
Promote and deepen local cooperation, tourism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchange, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and affection between the people of Vietnam and Japan, helping to build a solid foundation for effective implementation of cooperation in all fields between the two countries.
Strengthen close coordination at multilateral forums, international and regional organizations such as United Nations, APEC, ASEAN, Mekong...
- Thank you very much, Deputy Minister!
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