Japan, RoK support Vietnam’s security initiatives at AMM-50

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh backed the active role of Japan and the RoK in maintaining peace, stability and security in the region.

Both nations consented to maintain the central role of ASEAN in the region and step up cooperation with the ASEAN member nations and partners to resolve effectively traditional and non-traditional regional security challenges based on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Kono Taro, the two sides noted with satisfaction the positive developments in the bilateral extensive strategic partnership over the past time.

In the first half of 2017, the countries’ leaders intensified exchanges, such as the visit to Vietnam by the Japanese Emperor and Empress in February and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in January, and the official visit to Japan by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in May.

Apart from boosting cooperation in economics, trade and investment, Vietnam and Japan agreed to accelerate he implementation of investment documents signed between their businesses and expanded cooperation in culture, education, security, defense and people-to-people exchanges.

Minh praised cooperation and support of Japan – the biggest provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, adding that the Vietnamese Government always creates the best possible conditions for foreign enterprises, including those from Japan, to do business in Vietnam.

Vietnam and Japan will coordinate to exchange future orientations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

Meeting with RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung Wha, Minh highlighted the RoK as the largest investor and one of the leading trade partners of Vietnam.

He proposed the RoK’s Government take measures to balance trade between the two countries and maintain the provision of ODA for Vietnam and continue supporting overseas Vietnamese.

Kang Kyung Wha said the bilateral strategic partnership has come into reality and is based on the close relations between the two countries’ people, including RoK-Vietnam families.

The RoK’s Government pledges to help Vietnamese brides overcome cultural differences to integrate into the host society.

The two sides also concurred to maintain all-level delegation exchanges and cooperation mechanisms to advance the bilateral relations in a multitude of fields.