(VOVWORLD) - President Vo Van Thuong on Wednesday delivered a speech at the Japanese Diet. The event drew more than 400 parliamentarians of the two houses including Speaker of the House of Representatives Nukaga Fukushiro and Speaker of the House of Councilors Otsuji Hidehisa, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and other members of the Japanese cabinet.
 President Vo Van Thuong highlights vision of Vietnam-Japan ties at Japanese Diet (Photo: VNA) |
In his speech, President Thuong highlighted the close bond of the two countries thanks to their similarities in culture, history, people, and tradition over the past thousands of years.
Reviewing bilateral ties over the past half a century, President Thuong said Japan is Vietnam’s important partner in all fields and Vietnam never forgets Japan’s support in difficult times. The President attributed the development of bilateral ties to great contributions of generations of leaders of the two countries.
President Thuong said: “The strong relationship between the leaders of the two countries, which has been fostered over many generations, has been a valuable asset in Vietnam-Japan relationship. One third of parliamentarians in the Japanese Diet are members of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance which serves as an important bridge in the relationship between the two countries.”
Referring to the Joint Declaration on upgrading the Vietnam-Japan relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world, the President emphasized that this important event opens a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
“The new relationship framework allows us to raise the level and expand the space for cooperation, not only bilaterally but also at the regional and global scale, not only in traditional fields but also in new areas of cooperation, such as climate change response, clean energy, digital transformation, green foreign direct investment (FDI), green finance, and new generation ODA, which reflect the spirit of Vietnam-Japan companionship moving toward the future, and reaching out to the world.”
The President said the two countries need to implement a new relationship framework with new thinking, new directions, and new ways of working.
He proposed the two countries enhance political trust, strengthen cooperation in economics, defense, security, between localities, people-to-people exchanges, in clean, renewable energy and climate change adaptation and enhance cooperation at multilateral and regional forums.
The President said that upgrading bilateral relations during this visit meets the aspirations and serves the practical and specific interests of more than 200 million people of the two countries.
The same day, President Vo Van Thuong and his wife met with Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Nukaga Fukushiro, and Speaker of the Japanese House of Councilors Otsuji Hidehisa.