Hiroshima (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived at Hiroshima Airport on May 19 afternoon, beginning a three-day trip to attendthe expanded Summit of the Group of Seven (G7) and pay a working visit to Japan at theinvitation of his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.

Welcoming PM Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation at theairport were Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yamada Kenji, Governorof Hiroshima prefecture Hidehiko Yuzaki, and Vietnamese Ambassador to JapanPham Quang Hieu, among others.

According to the working agenda of the expanded G7 Summit, theVietnamese leader will attend three discussion sessions on the topics of handling multiple crises, joint efforts for a sustainableplanet, and towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

He is scheduled to participate in activities related to the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) initiative, and have bilateralmeetings with leaders of countries and international organisations.

At the discussion sessions, and multilateral and bilateralactivities, the PM is expected to contribute to theinternational community in association with Vietnam's interests on many issues,especially those related to security - development, sustainable development,health cooperation, climate change response, the environment, and energy.

Through those activities, PM Chinh will convey the message of Vietnam'sdynamic development, innovation, extensive and effective internationalintegration, proactive and responsible contributions to the common affairs ofthe international community, while protecting and promoting the legitimate interestsof the country.     

During the working visit to Japan, PM Chinh will hold talkswith his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio to discuss bilateral cooperation,as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.

He is set toattend and deliver a speech at a seminar with leaders of large Japanese enterprises; receive representatives of economic organisations, corporations and big enterprises ofJapan; and meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community and intellectuals in Japan.   

The invitation of Vietnam to attend the expanded G7 Summitby Japan, which is holding the rotating Presidency of the G7, demonstrates theimportance that the G7 in general and Japan in particular attaches to thecountry’s increasing role in the region.

Vietnam is among the eight countries that have been invitedby Japan tothe event. Notably, Vietnam is one of the two Southeast Asian guest nations,apart from Indonesia, which holds the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023.

This is the third time Vietnamese leaders have attended thesummit, following their attendance in 2016 in Japan and in 2018 in Canada, andthe second time Vietnam has been invited as a single nation, not in itscapacity as a representative of an organisation or a group of countries in theregion.

As Vietnam and Japan are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023, PM Chinh's trip to Japan isexpected to further strengthen mutual trust and drive bilateral relationsforward, particularly cooperation in focal areas such as economy, trade,new-generation ODA, high quality infrastructure, green transformation andenergy transition, as well as promote coordination in regional andinternational issues of shared concern./.