Japan Viet Nam's top partner

News Desk
Viet Nam News
Publication Date: 26-05-2009

Japan was an important and top priority partner for Viet Nam, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem told Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone during a meeting Sunday.

Khiem received Nakasone as he came to Ha Noi to attend the ninth Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM9) opening Monday.

The ministers agreed on ways to implement bilateral agreements and work closely to accelerate co-operation within the framework of the Viet Nam-Japan strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia, as endorsed by the two countries’ leaders.

Other topics discussed included climate change and ways to handle the H1N1 influenza outbreak.
During a visit to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Nakasone pledged to continue co-operating with Viet Nam to build an international biomedicine research centre to better equip the Asian region for any outbreaks of dangerous diseases
Nakasone said the Japanese Government attached great importance to co-operation with Viet Nam and would continue support its industrialisation and modernisation.
Separate meetings

Khiem also received the Czech Foreign Minister, Jan Kohout, and his Estonian counterpart Urmas Paet yesterday on the eve of FMM9.

During separate meetings, the Deputy Prime Minister outlined the importance of expanding co-operation with the countries and hoped they would help Viet Nam establish comprehensive relations with the EU.

The foreign ministers said they were determined to further strengthen multi-faceted co-operation with Viet Nam.

Khiem and the Czech foreign minister, Jan Kohout, agreed on measures to strengthen bilateral co-operation. They agreed economic and trade relations weren’t meeting their potential.

Viet Nam and Estonia will consider visa waivers for diplomatic passport holders while opening an Estonian honorary consulate in Viet Nam.

Host and guests said they would work together on agreements to create the legal framework for co-operation on the economy, trade, investment and labour export.
ASEM review

Being one among ASEM founders, Viet Nam has made many contributions on co-operation between Asia and Europe, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem in an article before the meeting starting today.

Khiem evaluated co-operation within ASEM and Viet Nam’s role as an active member.

He said Viet Nam had participated in ASEM as soon as it was aware of its potential, particularly in the areas of economics, investment, trade, science, technology and education.

Khiem listed areas where Viet Nam had contributed in the past 13 years and wrote that as an Asian co-ordinator in ASEM during 2000-04, Viet Nam and other members had taken the initiative to broaden activities in terms of dialogue and co-operation.

It wanted to strengthen mutual understanding and create an increasingly favourable atmosphere for co-operation in other areas.

Viet Nam, which hosted the fifth ASEM Summit in Ha Noi in 2004, was among countries effectively using the ASEM Trust Fund. It had implemented 21 projects worth a total of US$13.3 million.

Viet Nam also offered initiatives in the areas of health, culture, IT, energy, and tourism, which received wide support.

The country had co-initiated and co-implemented many projects on agriculture, science and technology, transport, health, culture, education and training and environment.

Viet Nam was recently elected as a deputy executive director of the Asia-Europe Foundation, which is in charge of speeding ASEM’s cultural and social activities.

Stronger partnerships

Khiem said the conference’s main aim was to strengthen Asia-Europe partnership to cope with the financial-economic crisis and global challenges.

The meeting would concentrate on reviewing and evaluating results of the seventh summit in Beijing last year and was expected to make recommendations on ways to cope with the global financial crisis.

It would also discuss the implementation of United Nations Millennium Development Goals on poverty alleviation and social welfare policies on such issues as employment and free migration.

Delegates hoped to offer a strong message on ASEM’s determination and responsibility to work with the international community to solve issues like climate change, epidemic and infectious diseases, food and energy security, international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

It will also outline ASEM development goals in preparation for the eighth summit in Brussels next year including the issue of adding members.