Vietnam, Japan agree to boost trade, security ties

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida bow in entrance of their nationwide flags as they assessment a guard of honour forward of a gathering on the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo, Japan, November 24, 2021. Toru Hanai/Pool by way of REUTERS

HANOI, Could 1 (Reuters) – Japan and Vietnam agreed on Sunday to spice up financial and safety ties whereas calling for an finish to the warfare in Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned throughout a Southeast Asia tour.

“We’ll strengthen bilateral ties as a way to put the economies of each nations again on a transparent restoration path within the wake of the coronavirus,” Kishida instructed reporters in Hanoi after assembly together with his counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh.

Chinh mentioned the 2 “agreed to spice up cooperation in post-pandemic commerce, strengthen provide chains and power transition, in accordance with mutual pursuits”.

Japan is Vietnam’s largest supplier of official improvement assist and third-largest supply of overseas direct funding. Bilateral commerce rose 8.4% final yr to $42.9 billion, in response to Vietnam customs information.

Kishida and Chinh mentioned they mentioned regional responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to disputes within the South China Sea, the place China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei have competing territorial claims.

“We agreed that any change in the established order by pressure can’t be recognised,” Kishida mentioned, referring to the Ukraine disaster. “We agreed on the necessity for the warfare to finish instantly.”

Kishida mentioned he and Chinh “additionally agreed to strongly oppose any makes an attempt to vary the established order by pressure within the South China Sea.”

Kishida held related discussions with Indonesia on Friday. learn extra

Chinh introduced Vietnam’s donation of $500,000 for humanitarian assist to Ukraine by way of worldwide organisations.

He mentioned Vietnam expects to start exporting longan to Japan in September, adopted by different produce corresponding to grapefruit, avocado and rambutan, whereas opening its marketplace for Japanese grapes.

Kishida mentioned Japan will assist an power transition towards sources corresponding to biomass, hydrogen and ammonia in Vietnam, which has dedicated to changing into carbon impartial by 2050.

Reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi and Elaine Lies in Tokyo; Further reporting by Junko Fujita; Modifying by William Mallard

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