Vietnam, Japan discuss COVID-19 fight, economic cooperation
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on June 1 had phone talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to discuss collaboration in COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as measures to promote exchange and economic cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minhon June 1 had phone talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to discusscollaboration in COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as measures to promoteexchange and economic cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
This was the second time the Foreign Ministers of the two countries had heldphone talks in the past two months.
The two sides informedeach other about the COVID-19 situation and prevention and control results ineach country, as well as agreed to continue to work closely to increaseexchanges and promote economic cooperation between the two countries.
Minh appreciated the positive results in COVID-19 prevention and control of theJapanese Government. He thanked the Government and people of Japan for theirsupport for Vietnam in the fight, especially the support package given to Vietnamesestudents and interns living in Japan.
For his part, ToshimitsuMotegi congratulated Vietnam's impressive achievements in containing theCOVID-19 pandemic, which were praised by the international community. He alsoexpressed his thanks to the Vietnamese Government, National Assembly and peoplefor providing medical masks for Japan and supporting Japanese managers andexperts to return to Vietnam to work.
The Japanese officialsaid besides previous aid packages for COVID-19 prevention and control, Japanwould continue to support Vietnam through providing medical equipment andsupplies based on its needs. He suggested the two sides soon conduct a discussionto consider resumption of travel between the two countries’ people, especiallymanagers and experts, thus promoting the economic, trade and investmentcooperation.
The two sides agreed to work closely at regional and international forums,including ASEAN and the Mekong – Japan cooperation mechanism, and speed up therealisation of the proposal to establish an ASEAN Centre for emerging diseasesand public health emergencies by Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo at theonline Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on April 14./.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 23 sent a letter to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, expressing sympathies for the Japanese people over the losses caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh presented the Friendship Order to Japanese outgoing ambassador Umeda Kunio during a ceremony in Hanoi on March 25.
The General Department of Vietnam Customs has reported that the Vietnam – Japan trade reached 6.2 billion USD in the first two months of this year, an 8.6-percent increase from a year earlier.
Member of Japan’s House of Representatives Takagi Tsuyoshi spoke highly of Vietnam’s achievements in battling the COVID-19 pandemic when hosting a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam on May 26.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA) 
