Hanoi (VNA)– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Japanese Ministerof Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko in Hanoi on October 10, highly valuing hisguest’s contributions to the two countries’ relations on different posts shehas held over the past years.

Congratulating Kamikawaon her appointment as Foreign Minister of Japan, PM Chinh expressed his delightat the increasingly strong, effective, and comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Japan bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Hespoke highly of the activities being organised in both countries to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, which have helped enhance mutualunderstanding between the two peoples, and proposed that both sides promote mutual visitsand meetings between their leaders. 

The Government leadercalled on Japan to assist Vietnam in the building of an independent and self-relianteconomy and the implementation of industrialisation and modernisation, whileproviding new-generation official development assistance (ODA) for large-scalestrategic infrastructure projects such as road and railway ones in Vietnam.

Appreciating theJapanese Government’s ODA for Vietnam in the recent past, he said both sides should coordinate closely to accelerate the urban railway projects in Hanoi and HoChi Minh City, along with the construction of the HCM City-based Cho Ray Hospital’ssecond facility. 

The Government of Vietnam will continue perfecting the investment climate, regulations, policies and infrastructure and developing high-quality human resources, he noted, asking the Japanese Government to provide conditions for Vietnamese businesses to engage more deeply in global supply chains of Japan.

The PM also suggestedJapan consider simplifying entry procedures for Vietnamese citizens and exemptingincome and residence taxes for Vietnamese trainees working in the Northeast Asiancountry. 

For her part, Kamikawaaffirmed Japan’s support for Vietnam to realise the goal of becoming a developedand high-income country by 2045. She also underlined her country’s commitmentto strengthen ties in such fields as green transition, digital transformationand climate change response, and encourage Japanese businesses to continueinvesting in Vietnam.

Stressing the JapaneseGovernment’s priority for cooperation in manpower training withVietnam, the minister voiced her hope that the two sides will work together to turnthe Vietnam - Japan University into a symbol of bilateral relations.

She also highly valuedthe role and contributions by the nearly 500,000 Vietnamese people in Japan to local socio-economic development, statingthat the Japanese Government will continue creating the best possibleconditions for the community to live, study, and work in the country.

With regard tointernational and regional issues, PM Chinh shared his guest’s opinions and suggested that the two countries keep exchanging views and coordinating closely ininternational and regional issues for the sake of peace, stability,cooperation, and development.

He added that Vietnamsupports and will work closely with Japan to ensure success for the ASEAN -Japan commemorative summit in late 2023./.