Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 11 held phone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, during which they agreed to step up cooperation in the COVID-19 fight.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA) Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on
May 11 held phone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, during which they agreed to step up
cooperation in the COVID-19 fight.
PM Suga congratulated Phuc
on his election as President of Vietnam, pledging that Japan will continue with
its close cooperation with and assistance to Vietnam in development in the time
ahead.
In that spirit, the
Japanese government has decided to present a cold storage system for COVID-19
vaccines worth 200 million JPY (1.84 million USD) as non-refundable to Vietnam,
he said.
Japan will also provide
marine scientific research vessels for Vietnam, and open its Consulate General
in the central city of Da Nang in 2022, the PM added.
For his part, President Phuc appreciated
PM Suga’s selection of Vietnam for his first overseas trip since taking office
last October, and expressed his delight at the strong and comprehensive
development with high political trust of the bilateral ties.
In its foreign policy, Vietnam
always considers Japan as a strategic, long-term and leading important partner, he
affirmed.
President Phuc used this occasion to
invite the Japanese Emperor and Empress to visit Vietnam.
The President spoke
highly of Japan’s effective and practical cooperation in Vietnam’s
socio-economic development, including its donated cold vaccine storage equipment. He also called for
Japan’s collaboration and support in COVID-19 vaccines to facilitate Vietnam’s
vaccinations and assistance to the Vietnamese community in Japan.
In this regard, PM Suga said
Japan will assist and cooperate with Vietnam to ensure necessary vaccines, and
further support Vietnamese apprentices in his country.
The two leaders agreed to
step up exchanges and meetings at all levels, especially the high level, and improve
the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms.
They will also work to
press ahead with the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), enhance connectivity in
investment and trade, expand collaboration in agriculture and labour, and
cooperation between localities, while joining hands in preparing for celebrations
of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.
The leaders consented
that in the context of Vietnam working as a non-permanent member of the UN
Security Council for 2020-2021 and coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations in
2018-2021, the two countries need to further their close cooperation at
multilateral forums, especially the UN and ASEAN, and strengthen collaboration
within the Mekong-Japan framework.
They also exchanged
views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the
East Sea issue./.