Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and delegates from the International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) of Japan at the meeting on Monday in Tokyo. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

TOKYO — Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a working breakfast with President of the International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) of Japan Ken Matsuzawa and its members in Tokyo on Monday on the occasion of his trip to the East Asian country to attend the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

The Vietnamese government leader highly appreciated the FEC's interest in Việt Nam as well as its practical substantial and effective contributions to the development of the bilateral relations.

The elevation of the Việt Nam-Japan relations to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World” announced during a recent official visit to Japan by Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng opened up a new chapter in the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Japan, with a forward-looking vision for the next 50 years based on trust and sincerity, he emphasised.

Reviewing the bilateral relationship over the past five decades, PM Chính remarked that the Việt Nam-Japan ties have been upgraded and expanded in the scope and scale with deeper understanding.  

He mentioned measures to further intensify the bilateral relations, as well as Việt Nam's developmental orientations, saying that he hoped Matsuzawa and the FEC, with their reputable prestige, will actively contribute to stepping up the Việt Nam-Japan relationship.

PM Chinh suggested the FEC continue to organise activities aimed at enhancing mutual understanding, support for economic cooperation, foster cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and actively support Vietnamese people residing, studying, and working in Japan.

He also called on the FEC to provide support for Việt Nam in the areas of finance, science-technology, human resources training, management science, and improving institutions, mechanisms and policies, contributing to the Việt Nam-Japan relations and to peace, friendship, cooperation, and development in Asia and the world.

For his part, Matsuzawa noted that in recent times, Việt Nam has emerged as a nation playing a significant role and holding a crucial position in politics, economy and diplomacy in the region and the world, so garnering attention from the international community.

He highlighted the flourishing development, and important achievements of the Việt Nam-Japan relations over the last five decades since they established diplomatic ties, saying that the two countries share the common goal of national building and development, contributing to peace, friendship, cooperation, and development in Asia and the world.

Matsuzawa expressed his belief that PM Chính's trip to Japan will be a success, making significant contributions to the bilateral relations in the coming time.

The FEC’s members stated that, apart from promoting people-to-people exchanges and establishing local- and ministerial-level relations with Việt Nam, the Japanese business community is interested in investing and expanding investment in Việt Nam, especially in the fields of construction, industry, energy, finance, science - technology, food production, healthcare, and education and training. They expressed their desire to diversify the global supply chains through collaboration with Việt Nam.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) had talks with President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanaka Akihiko. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Also on Monday morning, PM Chính received President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanaka Akihiko, during which he expressed appreciation for the significant contributions of the agency as well as its president in implementing official development assistance (ODA) projects in Việt nam in recent times, saying that the Vietnamese Government and its people always strive to use ODA loans strictly and effectively.

He thanked JICA for effectively coordinating with Việt Nam in implementing procedures for a new-generation ODA loan worth JPY 50 billion (over US$351.5 million), contributing to lifting the ODA value between the two countries to over $100 billion USD for the first time since 2017.

ODA cooperation is an important content of economic links between the two countries, he stressed, suggesting JICA coordinate more closely with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities to concretise the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World” with specific programmes and projects with more specific and effective roadmaps.

He called for new-generation ODA loans for Việt Nam to help the Southeast Asian nation develop strategic infrastructure projects, especially large-scale transport infrastructure projects such as railways, highways, seaports, and air routes; and new sectors such as digital transformation, green transition, semiconductor industry, and innovation.

Akihiko expressed his joy that during PM Chính's trip to Japan, additional ODA cooperation agreements between the two countries have been signed.

He agreed with proposals made by the Vietnamese leader, affirming that JICA will closely coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities of Việt Nam to deploy cooperation based on the priorities mentioned by the PM. He hoped for Việt Nam's collaboration to jointly address obstacles that may arise during the implementation of specific projects. — VNS