Vice Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Yasuo Ogata has highlighted the decisive role of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) to the national construction and defence as well as the development of the two parties’ relations.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the Japanese party leader spoke highly of the significant achievements Vietnam has recorded over the past 25 years, which, he said, were thanks to the CPV’s leadership.

Vietnam has recently recorded an average economic growth rate of over 7 percent annually and great achievements in hunger elimination and poverty reduction, which have received high appreciation from the World Bank, Yasuo Ogata said.

In terms of foreign affairs, Vietnam became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008 and 2009, he said, adding that the country, in its capacity of ASEAN Chair, has created a new framework within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – namely the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting plus (ADMM+) – and contributed to boosting solidarity among the bloc to cope with regional issues.

Yasuo Ogata expressed his delight at the fine relations between the CPV and the JCP which were founded in the 1960s on the basis of solid friendship, solidarity and mutual trust.

The relations have constantly developed through visits by the two parties’ leaders, he added.

In future, cooperation between the two parties will continue to focus on exchanges and practical issues such as peace in Asia , he said./.