Dialogue mechanism for Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership

Vietnam and Japan have agreed to establish a dialogue mechanism for strategic partnership at the deputy foreign ministerial level to exchange views on a wide range of issues in politics, security and national defence.

The agreement was reached during talks in Hanoi on July 24 between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem and Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who was in Hanoi for the Mekong-Japan Ministerial Meeting, the ASEAN-Japan meeting and the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

They discussed specific measures to expand bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, investment, culture, education, energy, the environment and response to climate change.

Mr Khiem thanked Japan for its contributions to the success of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings.

Both host and guest agreed to increase coordination in multilateral forums to bring into full play Vietnam’s role as ASEAN President and Japan’s role as host of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC).

They shared the view that relations between Vietnam and Japan have developed well in recent times and said the further development of such relations within the framework of their strategic partnership will not only serve their people’s interests but also make an important contribution to peace, stability and development in Asia and the rest of the world.

Mr Okada also paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and met with Party Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Secretariat Truong Tan Sang.