It aimed to review and discuss measures for enhancing their strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation.

leftcenterrightdel
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung. Photo: baoquocte.vn

During the event, the Japanese side affirmed that ASEAN is their important partner. They supported the central role of ASEAN in the regional mechanism and continue cooperating with and assisting the organization in building its community, enhancing connectivity, and narrowing development gap.

To mark 45 years of ASEAN-Japan ties in 2018, they will work closely together to  organize a summit for  the ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations in November. They will also mobilize resources to effectively carry out the Revised Implementation Plan of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, sign a protocol amending the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and actively implement the 10-year Strategic Economic Cooperation Roadmap.

The two sides are set to make efforts to  approve the draft ASEAN-Japan technical cooperation agreement to further promote regional integration. They will also work together  to develop the Mekong region through practical projects within the framework of the Japan-Mekong Connectivity Initiative.

With regard to the East Sea (South China Sea) situation, both ASEAN and Japan underlined the importance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

Vietnam will work as a coordinator of ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations from August 2018 to August 2021, Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said, affirming that the country will work closely with Japan and other ASEAN countries to bring their strategic partnership to a new height.

Translated by Trung Thanh