Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc  (right) presents a farewell gift to outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Umeda Kunio. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc met with outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Umeda Kunio in Hà Nội on Tuesday and said the two countries’ relations had grown stronger during the diplomat’s tenure.
Noting the sound development of bilateral relations despite the complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PM said Việt Nam wished to share information and experience and stands ready to work with Japan in the fight against the disease.
He said that at his meetings with Vietnamese ambassadors, he often referred to Umeda as an exemplary ambassador, adding that during the diplomat’s term, the Việt Nam-Japan partnership has been promoted via all channels, including between their parties, states, localities, organisations and peoples.
The PM said Japan was a leading partner of Việt Nam in terms of investment, trade and official development assistance provision. He also highly valued Umeda’s patience to tackle problems in bilateral economic co-operation.
PM Phúc added he had visited Japan many times during this tenure, and this is among the fine outcomes in connections between the two countries which he partly attributed to the diplomat’s contributions.
Umeda thanked the Vietnamese Government, especially PM Phúc, for helping him fulfil his duties.
He voiced his delight that the countries’ relations have been enhanced in multiple spheres recently, including economy, trade, investment, security, defence and people-to-people exchange.
He noted Japanese PM Shinzo Abe always attaches importance to bilateral co-operation.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the ambassador expressed his admiration for the Vietnamese Government and PM Phúc’s drastic actions in disease prevention and control, adding that his country is also working hard to fight the pandemic.
Umeda also thanked the Vietnamese PM for sending a letter to his Japanese counterpart to express sympathies over losses caused by this epidemic.
At the meeting, PM Phúc appreciated the ambassador’s raising of many practical ideas to strengthen the countries’ partnership, adding that aside from the two Governments’ ties, relations between him and PM Abe Shinzo are very good, too.
This is a basis for the two nations to exchange views on bilateral co-operation, as well as regional and international matters, in a trustworthy, straightforward and constructive manner, he said, speaking highly of PM Abe’s strong support for ASEAN and Việt Nam’s viewpoint on the East Sea issue.
Given the negative impact of COVID-19, the leader called on the Government and businesses of Japan to continue bolstering trade and investment links. – VNS