Japan considers Vietnam a leading partner in term of official development assistance (ODA) and will continue to provide the aid at a high level, said Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Japanese counterpart. (Source:VNA)

Koichiro Gemba made the statement both during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh and the fourth meeting of the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee in Hanoi on July 14.

He said the ODA inflow will focus on completing the market economic institution, growth support, enhancing competitive edge and coping with natural disasters.

The Japanese FM affirmed Japan ’s resolve to comprehensively develop the strategic partnership with Vietnam in various areas.

Japan will help Vietnam draw up and implement an industrial development strategy, he added.

For his part, Minh said Vietnam considers Japan one of its leading strategic partners.

He highly valued the Japanese Government’s provision of ODA for Vietnam at a high level as well as its support to Vietnam in striving for the goal of industrialisation by 2020, despite its own reconstruction process after the twin disasters in March last year.

Both host and guest agreed to maintain regular visits of the two countries’ leaders, bring into full play the role of the existing dialogue mechanisms and effectively implement already-reached agreements, including those to build the trans-national expressway, Lach Huyen port, Long Thanh airport, Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant, and projects to exploit and process rare earth.

They shared the view that the two countries should cooperate more closely to perfect the investment environment in Vietnam , promote the private-public partnership model, and strengthen cooperation in trade, climate change, judicial affairs and human resource development.

The two diplomats agreed that Vietnam and Japan will work closely to successfully organise the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year in 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Minh said the Vietnamese government has decided to establish a steering board to oversee all activities within the framework of the friendship year.

The two FMs exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Regarding the sea issue, they held that concerned parties need to settle disputes at the East Sea through peaceful dialogues on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), seriously observing the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), advancing towards building a Code of Conduct (COC).

They said Vietnam and Japan will do their best to contribute to maintaining peace, maritime safety and peace, and stability in the region.

Source: Vietnam Plus