Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the ASEAN-Japan Summit

Leaders of ASEAN countries and Japanese leaders attend the 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

At the 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit , leaders of the countries highly appreciated the success of the Summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN-Japan relations in Tokyo in December 2023, and welcomed the positive developments in the relationship in recent times. Japan is ASEAN's 4th largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching 239.4 billion USD, and is the 5th largest FDI investor in ASEAN reaching 14.5 billion USD in 2023.

The leaders affirmed to continue to closely coordinate in implementing the commitments, initiatives and high-level commemorative outcomes, including the Joint Vision Statement and the Plan for Implementation of the Statement.

Specifically, ASEAN and Japan will continue to promote economic , trade, investment cooperation, strengthen supply chains, connect infrastructure; enhance cooperation in defense, maritime security, combat transnational crime, enhance cyber security, manage and respond to natural disasters. The two sides will also give high priority to cooperation in science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, green infrastructure development, electric vehicle ecosystem, energy, climate change response, people-to-people exchange, and tourism.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Expressing his joy at attending the conference for the first time, which was also his first overseas trip since taking office, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru emphasized the importance of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has been continuously strengthened and developed over 50 years on the basis of three pillars: "heart-to-heart partnership through generations", "partnership in co-creating the future economy and society" and "partnership for peace and stability".

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru also affirmed Japan's commitment to continue strengthening cooperation and supporting ASEAN in building a united ASEAN Community, enhancing connectivity and narrowing the development gap.

The Prime Minister welcomed the success of the ASEAN-Japan Summit in December 2023, marking a historic milestone and the beginning of a new era of cooperation for bilateral relations; and encouraged Japanese businesses to further increase investment in ASEAN - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Speaking at the conference , Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed the success of the ASEAN-Japan Summit in December 2023, marking a historic milestone and the beginning of a new era of cooperation for bilateral relations.

Emphasizing that economic-trade-investment cooperation should continue to be the main driving force, while promoting connectivity between the two economies, the Prime Minister encouraged Japanese enterprises to further increase investment in ASEAN, and suggested that Japan increase support for ASEAN enterprises to participate in Japanese enterprises' supply chains, develop supporting industries, and build a highly skilled workforce. In addition, it is necessary to promote new growth drivers from emerging fields such as digital transformation, semiconductors, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, energy conversion, green economy, circular economy, smart agriculture, etc.

The Prime Minister proposed that Japan continue to cooperate and support ASEAN countries and the Mekong sub-region in responding to climate change, promoting energy transition and implementing emission reduction commitments, including through the "Asia Net Zero Emission Community" initiative - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

In order to create a future of self-reliant and sustainable development, and strengthen response to climate change, disasters and natural calamities, the Prime Minister proposed that Japan continue to cooperate and support ASEAN countries and the Mekong sub-region in responding to climate change, promoting energy transition and implementing emission reduction commitments, including through the "Asia Net Zero Emission Community" initiative.

The Prime Minister stressed that the two sides need to strengthen strategic coordination for regional peace, security and stability, thereby requesting Japan to continue supporting ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea, peacefully resolving disputes, and making efforts to complete an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS, towards building the East Sea into a sea of ​​peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-du-hoi-nghi-cap-cao-asean-nhat-ban-381460.html