Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh leaves for the Summit to celebrate 50 years of ASEAN-Japan relations
On the morning of December 15, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to leave Hanoi to attend the ASEAN-Japan Summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations and conduct bilateral activities in Japan from December 15 to 18, 2023 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
The official delegation accompanying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the working trip included: Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan; Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang; Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh; Deputy Minister of Public Security Le Quoc Hung; Deputy Minister of National Defense Pham Hoai Nam; Deputy Chief of the Party Central Committee Office Le Khanh Toan; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet; Deputy Head of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Thanh.
After 50 years, ASEAN-Japan relations have developed comprehensively and dynamically in all areas: politics, security, economics, trade, investment, culture, society and development cooperation. Japan has participated extensively in regional political-security cooperation processes; supporting ASEAN's solidarity, unity and central role.
Economic and investment cooperation between ASEAN and Japan is implemented through various mechanisms/frameworks, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP). Japan is also an active partner contributing to the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and supporting the narrowing of the development gap within ASEAN.
In 2022, Japan was ASEAN's fourth largest trading partner and second largest FDI investor, with two-way trade reaching US$268.5 billion. Total FDI from Japan to ASEAN reached US$26.7 billion, up 27.7% over the previous year.
In the context of the world and the region facing new challenges and unpredictable developments, on the basis of the good relationship between the two sides and open potential and opportunities, ASEAN and Japan both wish to strengthen cooperation and connectivity to respond to common challenges and develop together.
The ASEAN-Japan 50th Anniversary Summit was held right after ASEAN and Japan established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It was an opportunity for senior leaders of both sides to review the results of cooperation, thereby setting out directions for developing relations in the new period, commensurate with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
Vietnam is an active and responsible member of ASEAN and in promoting Japan-ASEAN relations, especially Vietnam's successful role as coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations for the 2018-2021 period.
Bilaterally, Vietnam - Japan relations continue to develop strongly and comprehensively in all fields with high political trust, close exchanges at high and all levels. In terms of economic cooperation, Japan is the largest ODA donor, the second largest labor cooperation partner, the third largest investor, the third largest tourism partner, and the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam.
Local cooperation between the two countries is strongly promoted. The Vietnamese community in Japan has reached about 520,000 people, making it the second largest foreign community in the country.
2023 is an important milestone when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. During President Vo Van Thuong's visit to Japan, the two sides announced the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip to attend the Summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations and conduct bilateral activities in Japan is of great significance, implementing the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress; Directive No. 25-CT/TW of the Secretariat on promoting and elevating multilateral diplomacy to 2030 and Conclusion No. 59-KL/TW of the Politburo on orientations for ASEAN participation to 2030./.