Japanese Prime minister Shinzo Abe is the first high-ranking foreign leader to visit Vietnam in 2017. This is the second meeting between the two prime ministers since July last year. The previous visit took place shortly after PM Phuc was appointed and was invited to visit Japan and attend the expanded G7 Summit. For Shinzo Abe, this is his third visit to Vietnam.
The two PMs agreed to continue strengthening political trust via maintaining high-level visits and meetings, and increasing the efficiency of dialogue mechanisms.
They committed to closely working together for the upcoming Vietnam visit by the Japanese Emperor and Empress. The Japanese PM wanted to welcome his Vietnamese counterpart to Japan this summer and promised to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders' Meeting in the central city of Da Nang later this year.
Host and guest consented to enhance practical collaboration in defense and security, including bomb and mine clearance and improvement of law enforcement at sea.
On the economic front, the two sides reached consensus on boosting economic connectivity via promotion of trade and investment , official development assistance and co-operation in supplementary fields such as agriculture and labor.
PM Phuc asked Japan to continue providing Vietnam with ODA in the near future, with a focus on infrastructure building, human resources training and climate change response.
Both sides vowed to realize Vietnam's industrialization strategy until 2020 with a vision until 2030 and the sixth stage of the Japan-Vietnam joint initiative to improve Vietnam's business climate, as well as continue major infrastructure projects such as the North-South Highway.
The two PMs underscored the importance of ensuring peace, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea, urging parties concerned to refrain from actions that cause tension and militarization resulting in changing the status quo in the waters, promote the settlement of disputes by peaceful means. The sides should fully respect diplomatic and legal processes, not to use force or threat to use force, seriously abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea towards promptly reaching a Code of Conduct.
Following the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of agreements between ministries, agencies and businesses of the two countries.
