Japanese PM attaches importance to enhancing parliamentary ties with Vietnam

PM Kishida, who is on an official visit to Vietnam, said he has been a member of the Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance for more than 20 years, and that he hopes Chairman Hue with rich experience in previous posts will continue contributing to the enhancement of bilateral relations, especially in parliamentary cooperation.

Noting with satisfaction that the Vietnam - Japan ties have been thriving in different aspects, Hue expressed his belief that after Kishida's visit, the common perceptions reached between the countries’ leaders and the freshly signed cooperation documents will be implemented fruitfully, opening up a new development stage for bilateral connections.

The NA of Vietnam always supports the Government’s commitments and actively works to perfect regulations so as to create a favourable business climate for foreign investors, including those from Japan, he stated.

In his capacity, he will further promote collaboration between the two legislative bodies, including increasing high-level mutual visits as well as exchanges between the parliaments’ specialised agencies, the host leader affirmed, noting that the 15th-tenure NA set up the Vietnam - Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by Politburo member and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai.

At the meeting, the two leaders shared the view that to secure substantive and effective post-pandemic economic recovery, it is critically important to carry out investment projects, including those funded through official development assistance (ODA).

PM Kishida said he hopes the Vietnamese parliament will keep cooperating with Japan in this regard, and that both sides should exert joint efforts to deal with obstacles in order to effectively promote cooperation projects. He also highly valued his host’s efforts to strengthen parliamentary cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic such as by holding talks and meetings with leaders of the Japanese parliament via videoconference and in person last year.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, agreeing to reinforce coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums like the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

With regard to the East Sea issue, they underscored the importance of ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters; resolving disputes by peaceful means, including respecting all diplomatic and legal processes and not using or threatening to use force on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); fully, comprehensively, and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and soon finalising a code of conduct (COC). In terms of the Ukraine situation, PM Kishida welcomed the importance Vietnam attaches to the humanitarian issue and the country’s decision to provide 500,000 USD in humanitarian aid for Ukraine via international humanitarian organisations.

The two leaders affirmed that their countries will work together to successfully carry out the plan to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023 in a way that matches their Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

PM Kishida said he will convey Chairman Hue’s invitation to visit Vietnam to Speaker of the House of Representatives Hosoda Hiroyuki and President of the House of Councillors Santo Akiko./.