Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang had talks with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday in Tokyo. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Tuyến - Đức Thịnh

TOKYO — During his trip to Japan, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Hosoda Hiroyuki on May 26.

At the meeting with the Sri Lankan leader, Deputy PM Quang affirmed Việt Nam's consistent policy of attaching importance to the development of traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Sri Lanka, aiming to bring the two countries' relations to a higher level of effectiveness based on their respective potentials and advantages, meeting the practical interests of the people of each country, contributing to global issues, and maintaining a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment in the region.

Deputy PM Quang proposed both sides promote cooperation in various fields, including strengthening delegation exchange at all levels and people-to-people exchanges, effectively implement the existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Joint Committee chaired by the foreign ministers of the two countries; signing cooperation agreements in education, culture, agriculture, boost trade cooperation, and bring the two-way trade to over US$500 million.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM also wished the two countries to expand cooperation in other potential areas, study direct flight routes to attract tourism, and continue to coordinate closely at regional and international forums, especially at the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Sharing many positive impressions during his visit to Việt Nam as Prime Minister, the Sri Lankan leader affirmed his support for further developing the Việt Nam-Sri Lanka relationship, expressing his desire for the two countries to promote cooperation in economic, trade, investment, cultural, and tourism sectors, coordinate in responding to climate change, and strengthen cooperation mechanisms.

The Sri Lankan President also shared the efforts and policies that Sri Lanka has implemented to overcome the current domestic economic difficulties, and quickly stabilise and restructure the economy.

In this process, Sri Lanka wants to promote economic cooperation with ASEAN, including Việt Nam, and participate in the Comprehensive Regional Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang had talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Hosoda Hiroyuki on Friday in Tokyo. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Tuyến - Đức Thịnh

At the meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Hosoda Hiroyuki, Deputy PM Quang expressed his delight at the strong, substantive and effective development of the Việt Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership.

Quang proposed that the Japanese House of Representatives increase exchanges between delegations at all levels, including young and female parliamentarians, and convey an invitation from the Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ to Speaker Hosoda to visit Việt Nam in 2023.

Emphasising the importance of economic cooperation, Deputy PM Quang wants Japan to support the linking of the two economies, help Việt Nam effectively participate in new supply chains, support the implementation of the new generation ODA programme for Việt Nam, and encourage Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises to invest and transfer technology to Việt Nam.

The Japanese House Speaker expressed his joy at the strong development of the Việt Nam-Japan ties, especially the increasingly close connection between the two countries through investment, trade, and human resources cooperation.

He highly appreciated the important role and positive contribution of the nearly 500,000 Vietnamese community in Japan to the country's economic and social development. He expressed his desire to increase the number of Vietnamese people coming to Japan for study and work.

Speaker Hosoda affirmed that he would arrange to lead a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians to visit Việt Nam.

The same day, Deputy PM Quang also met with three co-chairmen of the Việt Nam-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee of the Japan Business Federation (KEIDANREN), including Senior Advisor of Resonac Holdings Corp Ichikawa Hideo, CEO of Sumitomo Shoji Corporation Hyodo Masayuki, and CEO of Sojitz Corporation Fujimoto Masayoshi. — VNS