Meetings took place on the sidelines of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting in the capital city of Japan.

Talking to Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Hosoda Hiroyuki, Deputy PM Ha said the two countries’ relationship is now at its prime, and that Vietnam wishes to join Japan in further strengthening their extensive strategic partnership.

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Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha (L) meets with Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Hosoda Hiroyuki in Tokyo on March 3.

The year 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and it’s suitable time for them to boost exchanges between the countries’ governments, parliaments, young parliamentarians, women parliamentarians, localities, and people, he noted.

He asked his host to promote the Japanese Government’s assistance for Vietnam in the development of strategic infrastructure, human resources development, science and technology, and innovation, as well as for the nearly 500,000 Vietnamese to live, study, and work in the Northeast Asian nation.

Hosoda stressed Vietnam is an important partner of Japan, and that the two countries share many common interests and hold much potential for development.

The House of Representatives of Japan supports stronger cooperation between the two countries in all fields, he noted, expressing his hope for increased bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Japanese businesses highly value the skillfulness and industriousness of the Vietnamese community in Japan and want to receive more high-quality engineers and workers from Vietnam. There is also much room for promoting energy partnerships, according to the Speaker.

At the meeting with the Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, Deputy PM Ha appreciated the contribution by the alliance and its chairman to bilateral economic, cultural, tourism, and locality-to-locality ties.

He asked the alliance to continue supporting all-level exchanges, boost tourism links, and promote the Japanese Government’s simplification of procedures for granting visas for Vietnamese tourists to help facilitate people-to-people exchange.

Nikai affirmed that the alliance will do its utmost to develop bilateral cooperation more substantively.

He also informed about a plan to lead a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians and businesses on a visit to Vietnam this year, suggested a “Vietnam – Japan forest” be planted in the Southeast Asian country as a lasting symbol of relations, and agreed to support tourism cooperation.

Meanwhile, when being received by the Vietnamese Deputy PM, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura thanked Ha for his participation in the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting.

He emphasized that Japan considers Vietnam an important partner to jointly implement the AZEC initiative and hopes to join Vietnam and other participating countries in actively discussing and promoting cooperation to achieve the emission reduction target on the basis of trust and fairness.

In response, Ha said sending a delegation to the meeting reflects Vietnam's efforts toward the goal and support for the Japanese Government’s initiatives and policies in building the Asia community toward carbon emission reduction, and in ensuring energy security and sustainable development.

He held that the parties involved should have a reality assessment and choose feasible and suitable solutions.

There is a need to cooperate in research on technology and a participation mechanism for the government and the private sector as well as to determine financial sources to implement the AZEC joint declaration in member countries, including Vietnam, Ha suggested.

At his meeting with Japanese parliamentarians in charge of environment sector, the Deputy PM asked them to support the Japanese Government in offering financial assistance to and sharing experience with Vietnam in the areas of climate change response and low-emission development.

He proposed the lawmakers persuade Japanese enterprises to invest in and transfer technology to Vietnam in high technology, new energy, green transition, and digital transformation.

The parliamentarians pledged their efforts to enhance the countries’ relations in the environment field and join works at regional and international forums and cooperation mechanisms.

Source: VNA