General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm meets Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI – General Secretary and President Tô Lâm received Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae at the Presidential Palace on Saturday morning, as the Liberal Democratic Party chairwoman made her first visit to Việt Nam in that capacity.

The Party leader welcomed the visit as timely, noting that both countries have new leaderships and are pursuing ambitious socio-economic development goals. He expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of relations more than two years after Việt Nam and Japan elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, citing strong political trust, effective co-operation and the deepening of economic and human resource collaboration.

PM Takaichi said she was pleased to meet General Secretary and President Lâm following their telephone conversation in mid-April, and congratulated him on his re-election to both positions, as well as Việt Nam on forming its new leadership. She affirmed Japan's support for Việt Nam's reform efforts and drive for economic self-reliance, and said both sides should work to elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level.

Việt Nam's top leader outlined six broad orientations for stronger strategic co-operation, covering enhanced political trust through Party, government and local channels; defence and security co-operation; economic linkages spanning food, energy and economic security; expansion into digital transformation, energy transition, semiconductors and artificial intelligence; science and technology co-operation through high-quality human resource training and joint research; and people-to-people exchange through labour, education, culture and tourism.

General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm receives Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Takaichi stressed the importance of bilateral economic co-operation for the strategic autonomy and resilience of both countries. She highlighted priority areas including semiconductor development, high technology, digital transformation, green transition, and artificial intelligence. She also announced that Japan would implement its first project under the POWERR ASIA (Partnership for Outstanding, Worthy, Energy and Resource Resilience for Asia) initiative by supporting crude oil procurement for the Nghi Sơn Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, enabling it to operate at full capacity.

The Japanese Prime Minister pledged continued support for the community of nearly 700,000 Vietnamese people living, studying and working in Japan. She agreed that both sides should strengthen consular exchanges and co-operation on crime prevention.

The two leaders also agreed to co-ordinate closely at the United Nations, ASEAN and Mekong sub-regional forums amid a rapidly changing international environment affecting global economic and energy security.

The Vietnamese top leader extended an invitation to the Emperor and Empress of Japan to visit Việt Nam, while Takaichi invited the General Secretary and President and his spouse to visit Japan at the earliest opportunity. — VNS