The bilateral ties have been developing quickly, especially after the two countries established the strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in 2009.
Both Viet Nam and Japan attached importance to this visit as it provided a chance for high-ranking leaders to discuss and agreed on major orientations and specific measures to make the bilateral ties more comprehensive, practical and deeper in all aspects.
For Viet Nam, the State President’s visit is a major diplomatic event in 2014, reflecting the active spirit of realizing its foreign diplomacy, deepening relations with key partners to serve for the cause of national development.
Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh said the two countries have actively prepared for the visit during the past year.
With a busy agenda, State President Sang met with Japanese Emperor, leaders of the National Diet, the Government, business giants, and even Japanese farmers.
Major outcomes
After the talks with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of the extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia.
Both sides agreed to maintain regular exchange of high-ranking visits, effectively operate the cooperative mechanisms and dialogue frameworks. Cooperation in the fields like security and national defense and judicial reform have also made progress.
The two countries agreed to foster economic, trade and investment linkages and closely coordinate in realizing the agreements and large-scale projects.
Japan committed to supporting Viet Nam in implementing the action plans for the six key areas under its industrialization strategy within Viet Nam-Japan Cooperation Framework, in building the second Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant. PM Shinzo Abe affirmed that Viet Nam continues to be an important partner to Japan’s official development assistance.
Leaders of the two countries witnessed the signing ceremony of the documents under which Japan will provide JPY 120 billion for Viet Nam in the second half of fiscal year 2013 for five projects.
Agriculture cooperation is also a focus of the visit. The two countries agreed to set up a cooperation dialogue mechanism to promote comprehensive cooperation in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries and hold the first meeting in Viet Nam in 2014.
Japan will assist Viet Nam in raising the productivity and effectiveness of the agro processing industry, controlling the food quality and safety.
The East Asian country pledged to actively support Viet Nam in upgrading some key universities and vocational schools so as to meet international standards, continue the Viet Nam-Japan University project.
The two countries agreed to set up cultural and people-to-people exchange mechanism in order to consolidate the friendship and mutual understanding.
They agreed to beef up coordination at regional and international forums, mechanisms, organizations to actively and constructively contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the region.
Both sides affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the region on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Prioritized cooperation areas
Deputy PM Minh said Japan is one of Viet Nam’s top strategic and economic partners while the Viet Nam is striving to become a basically modern-oriented industrial country by 2020. Thus, it is important to strengthen cooperation with Japan.
Official development assistance, foreign direct investment and public-private partnership will take an important role in infrastructure and energy development in Viet Nam.
Viet Nam attaches importance to cooperation with Japan for the realization of the industrialization strategy within the Viet Nam-Japan cooperation framework through 2020 with a vision to 2030.
Both sides are striving to lift up the two-way trade value through implementing effectively the Viet Nam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA), creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to penetrate the Japanese market.
Viet Nam and Japan will cooperate comprehensively in agriculture in order to improve the living standard of residents in rural areas.
The two countries will also enhance cooperation in technological transfer, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, workforce training.
