The agreement was reached between Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Vice President of the House of Councillors of Japan Ogawa Toshio at their meeting in Hanoi on December 19.
The two leaders consented to promote the connecting role of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group and the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance.
They said the two parliaments have paid attention to supervising the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between Vietnam and Japan in all fields, as well as support the two governments to step up cooperative ties.
The two sides recognised the sound development of the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia. The two countries have regularly conducted exchanges at all levels, especially among senior officials. Many cooperation fields have proved effective, while their political trust has been further consolidated.
NA Chairwoman Ngan said Vietnam attaches great importance to the extensive strategic partnership with Japan, adding that the two countries share a lot of similar viewpoints on regional and international issues.
She added that Vietnam highly appreciated Japan’s cooperation and provision of official development assistance (ODA), which has helped Vietnam with national development, poverty reduction, economic growth, and settlement of post-war consequences such as clearing bombs and mines, and dealing with toxic chemicals.
The top Vietnamese legislator voiced her hope that Japan will continue supporting Vietnam to address these aforesaid matters.
She proposed the House of Councillors of Japan encourage Japanese businesses to expand investment in Vietnam in hi-tech agriculture and supporting industries, as well as enabling Vietnamese firms to join Japanese suppliers’ chains.
She also suggested promoting cultural exchanges, locality-to-locality cooperation, and collaboration in human resources development.
The NA Chairwoman asked the Japanese House of Councillors to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese to live, study and work in Japan.
She called on the two countries to strengthen coordination at regional and global forums, particularly when Vietnam takes the role of Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2020, and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021.
NA Chairwoman Ngan hoped Japan will continue supporting the viewpoints of ASEAN and Vietnam on maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, as well as settling disputes via peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Toshio said Japanese parliamentarians support the policy of developing relations with Vietnam.
Regarding the settlement of post-war consequences, he said this is not only a matter of bilateral cooperation but also a humanitarian issue. Therefore, the Japanese parliament and government will assist Vietnam in this field, he affirmed.
