This is the first meeting between the two PMs since Ishiba took office on October 1.
At the meeting, the Vietnamese cabinet leader said Vietnam regards Japan as a leading important, reliable, and long-term partner.
Congratulating Ishiba on his election as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and PM of Japan, Chinh affirmed that Vietnam advocates Japan's positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
He highlighted the importance of enhancing economic cooperation, strengthening economic connectivity, and ensuring economic security, while underlining the need to accelerate key collaboration projects, and committing to continuing to offer favourable conditions for over 2,000 Japanese businesses to invest and operate profitably in Vietnam.
PM Chinh asked Japan to consider providing new ODA loans for strategic infrastructure projects, including metro lines, high-speed railways, and climate change adaptation initiatives in various localities across Vietnam.
He also suggested expanding cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, green transition, circular economy, semiconductor, and artificial intelligence (AI); deepening labour cooperation and training high-quality human resources; boosting locality-to-locality collaboration; and strengthening people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The Government chief voiced his hope that Japan will continue to carry out policies aimed at encouraging and supporting Vietnamese nationals in Japan, and affirmed Vietnam's commitment to closely coordinate with Japan to ensure the success of EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Kansai.
Ishiba, in turn, affirmed that Vietnam is a key partner in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative, hoping to deepen and make the Vietnam-Japan relationship more intensive and practical.
Emphasizing the importance of Vietnamese human resources for Japan's economic development, he assured his commitment to continue creating opportunities for Vietnamese workers and apprentices to study and work in Japan through the “Employment for Skill Development Programme”, and helping Vietnam in training high-quality human resources.
The Japanese leader agreed with Chinh's proposals to strengthen economic, trade, and investment cooperation, and committed to working hand in hand to resolve obstacles and facilitate collaboration between the two countries.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi
The two PMs also conc to further strengthen political trust through high-level and all-level exchanges and meetings, and underlined the importance of promoting defence and security cooperation, effectively implementing existing dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and dealing with common challenges in the region.
Concerning regional and international issues of mutual concern, they reached a consensus on boosting coordination, sharing stances, and supporting each other at multilateral forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations (UN), and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.
Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides highlighted the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and aviation in the sea; and settling disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Chinh used the occasion to convey an invitation to visit Vietnam from Party General Secretary and State President To Lam to the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and expressed his hope to soon welcome the Japanese PM to visit Vietnam. Ishiba accepted the invitation with pleasure, saying that he will arrange the trip in the near future.
At the meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi the same day on the fringes of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Vientiane, Laos.
PM Chinh thanked the Indian Government leader for sending a letter of sympathy to and providing Vietnam with 35 tonnes of goods valued at US$1 million as emergency aid to support Typhoon Yagi-hit localities, which, he said, demonstrates the sound friendship, traditional relations, and the Comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
He showed his delight at the practical outcomes of his recent state visit to India while speaking highly of the fact that the two sides are joining hands to realize the results of the trip.
With regard to future cooperation orientations, the two PMs agreed to continue intensifying the exchanges of high-level visits and meetings in flexible forms, negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement soon, and increasing the frequency of direct flights between major cities of the two countries to facilitate trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchange cooperation.
Regarding regional and international issues, PM Modi hailed the fine results of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, saying they will have a widespread impact on the region.
The two leaders consented to continue offering mutual support, working closely at regional and international forums, particularly at the UN, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, respecting the principles to ensure security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation, and peacefully settling disputes based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.