Vietnam - Japan relations developing at the best stage: Deputy FM
The relationship between Vietnam and Japan is currently at the finest development stage, with a historical milestone being the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2023, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang told her Japanese counterpart Komura Masahiro during a meeting on April 5 in Tokyo.
Deputy FM Hang chairs a meeting with Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in Japan. (Photo: VNA)
Tokyo (VNA) - The relationship between Vietnam and Japan is currently at the finest development stage, with a historical milestone being the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2023, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang told her Japanese counterpart Komura Masahiro during a meeting on April 5 in Tokyo.
The Vietnamese official expressed sincere thanks to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for coordinating to organise visits and working sessions of high-level delegations of the two countries in recent times, and suggested the two sides continue to closely coordinate to ensure the success of visits by Vietnamese and Japanese high-ranking leaders in 2024.
She called on the Japanese side to continue providing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam's development projects.
Deputy FM Hang expressed her gratitude to the Government of Japan for creating favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) living, working, and studying in Japan, calling for further support for the Vietnamese community in the coming time, including simplifying visa application procedures.
She took the occasion to show her sympathies over the losses of lives and property that the Japanese government and people had to endure after the disastrous earthquake in the early days of 2024 in Ishikawa prefecture and surrounding areas of central Japan. Hang thanked Komura for attending the opening ceremony of the Ikebukuro Festival on April 6 to raise funds to support the victims, considering this a vivid testament to the sincere friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
For his part, Komura agreed to continue promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges, saying that these are important foundations of the friendship between Vietnam and Japan.
He affirmed that he will closely coordinate to successfully organise high-level visits of the two countries' leaders in 2024, and expressed delight at the ODA projects funded by Japan that are contributing to Vietnam's socio-economic development, stating his personal commitment to continue to bring ODA projects to Vietnam.
The two officials agreed to continue close coordination to address issues related to Vietnamese nationals' violation of Japanese laws, including enhancing education to ensure that the Vietnamese community in Japan strictly abide by local laws.
On the same day, Deputy FM Hang chaired a seminar with Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in Japan.
As part of her working visit to Japan, Hang also had a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in the country, during which she highly valued efforts by the agency in implementing OV affairs, saying that this has contributed to strengthening the national solidarity bloc and fostering the good friendship between the peoples and the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan./.
A Vietnam-Japan Cultural Festival opened in the central beach city of Da Nang on March 29, as part of celebrations of the 51st anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (1973-2024).
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on March 29 emphasised the important role of banks and financial mechanisms in green energy transition projects when he received Managing Director of the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) Tanimoto Masayuki in Hanoi.
Politburo member, permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat and Chairwoman of the CPV Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai is leading a high-level delegation on a working visit to Japan from March 31 to April 3.
Vietnam always views Japan as an important and long-term strategic partner, and stands ready to develop the bilateral ties to a stronger and more comprehensive and practical fashion on the basis of its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism and diversification, a senior Vietnamese Party official has said.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang had working sessions with the Association of Nikkei & Japanese Abroad and the Vietnamese Business Association in Japan (VJBA) in Tokyo on April 4.
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 FM Hang chairs a meeting with Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in Japan. (Photo: VNA) 
