The agreement was reached during a meeting in Tokyo on March 18 between Shii Kazuo, Chairman of the Japan Communist Party (JCP) and Hoang Binh Quan, head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Commission for External Relations.

Mr Quan congratulated the JCP on its recent successful organisation of its 25^th congress which put forward new guidelines for future development. 

Mr Quan said that the CPV and the JCP have developed close bonds over the years through regular exchanges of visits and affirmed that the CPV constantly supports the JCP’s objectives, ideology and development guidelines.

Mr Shii praised Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements during the Renewal process, especially its success in cushioning the blow of the recent global economic recession to secure a 5.3 percent GDP growth rate in 2009 - a relatively high level in the region.

He recalled the agreements reached by the two communist parties’ leaders during CPV General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to Japan last April. He said the two parties agreed to make a greater effort to strengthen their ties, embark on the path to socialism, and share theoretical and practical experiences to achieve their goals while supporting the elimination of nuclear weapons globally.

The same day, Mr Quan held a working session with leaders of the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren), and met with Deputy Speaker of the Upper House Akiko Santo and President of the Liberal Democratic Party Sadakazu Tanigaki.