(VOVworld) - Vietnam and Japan share similarities in strategic interests and concerns over both bilateral and multilateral collaboration.

President Tran Dai Quang (R) and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. (Photo: VNA)

President Tran Dai Quang made the statement at a reception for visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Hanoi on Friday.

He said the growing bilateral relationship matches the interests and aspirations of their peoples and contributes to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.

He also affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of continuing to regard Japan as its leading and long-term partner and urged Japan to continue to help Vietnam raise its capacity in maritime law enforcement forces. He called on Japan to continue its affiliation with Vietnam in economy, trade, investment, ODA, agriculture and climate change response.

President Tran Dai Quang called for closer cooperation in international forums and appealed to Japan to support Vietnam’s bids to run for a nonpermanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

FM Fumio Kishida reiterated Japan’s stance of attaching importance to cooperation with Vietnam, especially in regional and international issues of shared concern.

Japan strongly backs the peaceful settlement of disputes at sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea , and quickly reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.