On November 7, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held talks with his Japanese counterpart Yukio Hatoyama in Tokyo on specific measures to make the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership more substantive and effective for the mutual benefit of both countries and peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
The Japanese PM expressed his profound sympathy for the great losses caused by recent tropical storm Mariane in central and central highland provinces. He praised the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to boost socio-economic development, overcome the natural disaster consequences, cope with the global economic downturn and maintain economic growth.
PM Dung thanked the Japanese PM for sharing his sympathy for the losses inflicted on the Vietnamese people and appreciated the Japanese Government for continuing to provide Vietnam with ODA, including a preferential loan in ODA for first phase of the 2009 fiscal year and an emergency budget assistance loan worth US$500 million.
The two government leaders also compared notes on international issues of mutual concern and expressed their delight at the positive developments in cooperative relations in politics, economics and culture. They agreed to further consolidate the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership in line with the aspirations and interests of the two governments and their people for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.
The two PMs consented to promote the exchange of visits at all levels to create mutual understanding and trust and organise the third meeting of the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee to come up with specific measures to enhance further comprehensive relations between the two countries.
Mr Hatoyama said that Japan is willing to promote cooperation with Vietnam in implementing the major projects agreed by the two high-level delegations such as the North-South expressway project, the North-South railway project and the Hoa Lac high tech zone project.
PM Dung asked the Japanese Government to provide Vietnam with a preferential ODA loan for the second phase of the 2009 fiscal year to help the country carry out a number of projects and increase scholarships for Vietnamese students and post-graduates.
Both PMs agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in international and regional organisations and forums of which they are both members, especially when Vietnam assumes ASEAN Chair in 2010 and hosts the second Mekong-Japan summit.
On the occasion, PM Dung invited Mr Hatoyama to visit Vietnam and his invitation was accepted with pleasure.
After their talks, the two leaders witnessed Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Okada Cachuia sign diplomatic notes on an emergency budget assistance loan worth US$500 million. Before leaving Tokyo for Hanoi PM Dung met with presidents and general directors from several of Japan’s economic groups.
The same day, PM Dung attended the second high-level session of the Mekong-Japan Summit.
PM Dung and other Prime Ministers from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Japan issued a joint statement on establishing a new partnership for the future of mutual prosperity.
The leaders also agreed on specific action programmes and development and cooperation projects between Japan and the countries in Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).