Vietnam proposes to concretize ASEAN-Japan relations into "from emotions to effectiveness"

On December 17, in Tokyo, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries and Japan attended the Summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed.

ASEAN leaders welcomed Japan's consideration of ASEAN as one of its foreign policy priorities in general and Japan's Indo- Pacific Strategy (FOIP) in particular; committed to continuing to support and assist ASEAN in building the Community and promoting its central role in the region.

On this occasion, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced a support package worth 40 billion yen for people-to-people exchanges, cultural and educational cooperation and 15 billion yen for international research staff exchange programs (following an additional contribution of 14.2 billion yen to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) announced earlier this year).

Attending the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the relationship with Japan is one of ASEAN's most successful relationships, and suggested that in the context of the world and the region experiencing many "headwinds" with many unprecedented challenges, the two sides need to strengthen cooperation, striving to turn the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into a symbol of solidarity and international cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed three major directions for ASEAN-Japan relations to become a model and a positive factor, playing an important role in ensuring a peaceful, stable, mutually developing and mutually winning environment in the region.

The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides further strengthen strategic coordination and jointly build an open, inclusive, rules-based regional structure with ASEAN playing a central role. Japan should continue to voice its support for ASEAN’s common stance on the East Sea; actively support countries in the Mekong sub-region in effectively responding to non-traditional security challenges, promptly restart the Mekong cooperation mechanism, and prioritize promoting programs and projects supporting sustainable development in the spirit of “leaving no one behind”.

The Prime Minister emphasized investment in human factors - the subject, goal, driving force and resources for development in general and for ASEAN - Japan relations in particular; welcomed cultural - social exchange activities, people-to-people exchanges within the framework of the ASEAN - Japan "heart-to-heart partnership", including 500 practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Japan relations in 2023. At the same time, he suggested that it is necessary to concretize the "heart-to-heart" relationship into a "action-to-action" relationship, and "from emotions to effectiveness" with practical and specific cooperation projects, programs and plans within the framework of the ASEAN - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that the ASEAN-Japan ship will overcome all challenges and continue to sail far in the next 50 years and beyond. Photo: VNA — At the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that the ASEAN-Japan ship will overcome all challenges and continue to sail far in the next 50 years and beyond. Photo: VNA

The Prime Minister also emphasized four connections, including suggesting that the two sides strengthen economic, trade and investment connectivity, considering it the focus and driving force for the development of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; promote connectivity in infrastructure, especially strategic infrastructure; expand connectivity in new areas, especially innovation, digital transformation, green economy, circular economy, knowledge-based economy and smart agriculture, etc., turning these areas into new growth drivers and new vitality for ASEAN-Japan cooperation in the coming time; prioritize connectivity to achieve sustainable development goals, without sacrificing progress, social justice and the environment to pursue mere growth.

Based on the spirit of political trust as the foundation, economic cooperation as the driving force and people-to-people exchange as the center, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that the ASEAN-Japan ship will overcome all challenges and continue to sail far in the next 50 years and beyond.

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