National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (fourth from right) and Executive Acting Secretary General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Hagiuda Koichi at their talks on July 22 in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn on Wednesday received Executive Acting Secretary General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Hagiuda Koichi, who is paying a working visit to Việt Nam from July 20–23.

NA Chairman Mẫn reaffirmed that Việt Nam consistently regards Japan as one of its most important and long-term strategic partners and supports the leading role of the ruling LDP. He expressed his hope for closer coordination with the party to further deepen the Việt Nam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and effectively implement the agreements reached by the two countries’ high-level leaders during Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s visit to Việt Nam in May.

The top legislator stressed that the Vietnamese NA will continue to support, oversee and provide a favourable legal framework for the effective implementation of these commitments.

Highlighting the substantive progress achieved since the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership nearly three years ago, the NA Chairman noted strong growth in official development assistance (ODA), investment, trade and tourism. He thanked Japan for its valuable support in Việt Nam's socio-economic development, infrastructure construction, legal and institutional development and human resources training, particularly through large-scale ODA-funded infrastructure projects that have become symbols of bilateral friendship.

To further strengthen bilateral ties amid evolving global challenges, he called on Hagiuda and the LDP leadership to continue promoting parliamentary cooperation through regular high-level exchanges and stronger engagement among legislators, particularly young and women parliamentarians and LDP parliamentarians. He also encouraged Japan to support the implementation of large-scale flagship projects in Việt Nam in such areas as digital transformation, green transition, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and infrastructure.

The top legislator also proposed continued support for organising Việt Nam–Japan festivals in both countries, as well as local cooperation initiatives, including the second Việt Nam–Japan Local Cooperation Forum in Huế City in September and the Việt Nam–Japan Culture Exchange in Can Tho later the same month.

For his part, Hagiuda reaffirmed the LDP’s and the Japanese National Diet’s strong support for expanding practical and comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam. He underscored Japan’s commitment to accompanying and supporting Việt Nam in achieving its strategic autonomy goals.

Welcoming the appointment of Nguyễn Duy Ngọc, Chairman of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee’s Organisation Commission, as Chairman of the Việt Nam–Japan Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, the guest proposed strengthening exchanges between friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries and establishing a new information-sharing mechanism between the two ruling parties.

He also reaffirmed Japan’s support for implementing a new-generation ODA programme, expanding cooperation in economic security, green transition and AI, and creating favourable conditions for nearly 700,000 Vietnamese people living and working in Japan. — VNA/VNS