Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) — Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu on March 7 emphasised the importance of further promoting and deepening friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, while receiving Shimada Tomoaki, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Shimada Tomoaki is in Vietnam to attend the opening ceremony of the 11th Japan-Vietnam Festival in Ho Chi Minh City.
Expressing satisfaction with the increasingly substantive and effective development of the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, characterised by a high level of political trust and cooperation across all fields, Vu reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently regards Japan as one of its most important partners and a sincere and reliable friend that accompanies it in achieving its development objectives.
He took this occasion to suggest the Japanese Government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continue to promote stronger political trust through exchanges and contacts at all levels, especially high level. Such efforts, he said, will facilitate the effective implementation of key pillars of bilateral cooperation, particularly in politics, diplomacy, defence and security, science and technology, local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
He also highlighted the importance of expanding collaboration in emerging areas such as digital transformation and green transition; strengthening coordination in multilateral mechanisms; and further promoting business connectivity in order to leverage complementary strengths, particularly in manufacturing industries, high technology and innovation.
Shimada Tomoaki congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and extended his congratulations to Vu on his election as a member of the 14th Party Central Committee. He expressed confidence that under the leadership of the Party and the Government, Vietnam will continue to achieve significant development achievements and realise its growth targets in the new era.
Agreeing with the assessments and proposals put forward by the Vietnamese official, Shimada Tomoaki affirmed that Japan regards Vietnam as one of its most important partners in implementing its foreign policy in the Asia–Pacific region, and wishes to further strengthen close cooperation with Vietnam to concretise and deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across all fields. In particular, Japan will continue to effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms between the two countries and between their foreign ministries.
He also stressed Japan’s readiness to coordinate closely with Vietnam on regional and international issues, including supporting the successful organisation of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027 in Vietnam, thereby contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.
Vietnam–Japan festival strengthens people-to-people ties
After more than a decade of development, the Japan-Vietnam Festival in Ho Chi Minh City has become a significant international cultural exchange event and a vivid symbol of the strong and enduring friendship between the two nations.
