Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Ministers Pham Minh Chinh and KishidaFumio held a joint press conference and witnessed the exchange of Vietnam -Japan cooperation documents following their talks in Hanoi on May 1.

PM Chinh said during their successful talks, the two sideslooked into the progress in the implementation of the agreements reached attheir meeting in Tokyo last November. They reached high consensus on the orientationsand detailed measures for opening up a new development stage for the “ExtensiveStrategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia” between Vietnam andJapan.

Accordingly, they affirmed the importance of promoting theextensive strategic partnership in a more substantive, effective, and extensivemanner. They shared the view that the two countries have made new strides in developingstrategic infrastructure of Vietnam, agreeing to work together to accelerate transportinfrastructure projects.

The Vietnamese leader noted they also agreed to boost ties inpost-pandemic economic recovery, increase the connectivity between the twoeconomies and their production - supply chains, and step up partnerships ininvestment, trade, support industry development, digital transformation, innovation,smart city building, hi-tech agriculture, and energy transition.

PMKishida has pledged continued assistance for Vietnam to realise socio-economicdevelopment targets, Chinh said, adding that the Vietnamese Government is determinedto effectively use Japan’s official development assistance and continue improvingthe investment climate so as to create optimal conditions for investors,including those from Japan.

During their talks, they also exchanged views on internationaland regional issues of common concern such as the East Sea issue, the Ukrainesituation, and non-traditional security challenges.

Pledgingto enhance coordination to maintain regional peace and stability, theyreaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety, and freedom ofnavigation and overflight in the East Sea; promoting the peaceful settlement ofdisputes without use of or threats to use force; seriously complying withinternational law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Lawof the Sea (UNCLOS), in activities at sea; respecting diplomatic and legalprocesses; fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC); and soon finalising a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea that issubstantive, effective, and in line with international law, including the 1982UNCLOS, PM Chinh went on.

Regardingthe Ukraine situation, he added, the two sides affirmed their respect for thefundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter, especially theprinciple of respecting the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, rights,and legal and legitimate interests of countries, as well as not threatening touse or using force in international relations. They called on the partiesconcerned to persistently promote dialogue and negotiations to seek durablepeaceful solutions.

Vietnam expressed its all-round viewpoint on the humanitarianissue in Ukraine and that it is ready to actively contribute to humanitarian assistanceactivities, diplomatic process, dialogue, and negotiations.

Inthat spirit, Vietnam will provide 500,000 USD in humanitarian aid to Ukrainevia international humanitarian organisations, PM Chinh told the media.

Hesaid the two PMs agreed to work together to hold activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023 while bolsteringlocality-to-locality, cultural, people-to-people, and tourism cooperation.

The Vietnamese PM asked his counterpart to continuesupporting the nearly 450,000 Vietnamese people in Japan. The two sides also affirmedthey will cooperate to protect the Vietnamese community’s legitimate and legalinterests, according to Chinh.

For his part, PM Kishida said they discussed measures forstrengthening post-pandemic cooperation in a more substantive manner, includingin supply chain diversification, digital transformation, and technologicalcooperation within the Asia-Japan Investing for the Future Initiative.

He added efforts will be made to soon complete the Metro LineNo. 1 project in Ho Chi Minh City, improve the capacity of Vietnamese internsin Japan, help with energy transition in Vietnam, boost security - defence ties,and ensure cyber security.

Japan will do its utmost to open up new opportunitiesfor bilateral relations on the occasion of their diplomatic ties’ 50th anniversary, Kishida stated.

At the press conference, the two leaders witnessedthe exchange of 22 cooperation documents in various areas between theircountries’ ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises./.