Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, who is also honourable chairman of the Vietnam- Japan Joint Committee, noted that co-operative relations between Vietnam and Japan have developed strongly in many fields over the past 35 years, from politics to economics, trade, science and technology, education and culture.

He thanked Japan for granting official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, which he said has helped the country achieve sustainable socio-economic development, especially poverty reduction in the remote and mountainous areas.

He said that co-operative relations between ministries and localities as well as youth exchanges have been expanded, helping to promote mutual understanding and trust between the two countries.

For his part, the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam, Sakaba Mitsuo, emphasised that relations between the two countries have developed towards “strategic partnership” following reciprocal visits by the two countries’ top leaders. Diverse cultural exchanges have been held in both countries, including music festivals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in May and the upcoming Vietnam Festival in Japan in September.