Japan will continue providing official development assistance (ODA) worth 172 billion JPY (1.4 billion USD), bringing total Japanese ODA for Vietnam to a record 300 billion JPY (2.5 billion USD) in fiscal year 2015.

Prime Minster Nguyen Tan Dung (L) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Kuala Lumpur.

The announcement was made during the meeting between Prime Minster Nguyen Tan Dung and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe upon the former’s arrival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 20’s evening to attend the two-day 27th ASEAN Summit and related high-level meetings.

Shinzo Abe informed the Vietnamese leader that the continued ODA would be for three projects of Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 01 from Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien, Thai Binh Thermal Power Plant and the project to clean the water environment of the city.

The two PMs agreed to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the 110 billion USD credit plan announced by the Japanese leader in May this year to the development of high quality infrastructure in Asia.

Also at the meeting, the two PMs shared the view that the strategic partnership between the two countries had developed practically and effectively.

They exchanged ideas on major orientations and concrete measures to implement high-level agreements between the nations.

They were unanimous in implementing an industrialisation development strategy in the framework of Vietnam – Japan cooperation and boosting the realisation of the medium- and long-term vision for agricultural cooperation. They also agreed to develop supporting industry and human resources training for Vietnam and enhance cooperation in energy and nuclear power.

The leaders concurred in speeding up the project of the Vietnam – Japan University so that it can be carried out in 2016.

The two sides consented to continue close cooperation at multilateral forums and mechanisms for international cooperation, promote the ratification and implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, seek to reach agreements at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention of the United Nations on climate change coming up in Paris, France.

They also exchanged views on international issues and areas of mutual interest, emphasising the importance of ensuring peace, freedom, security and safety of navigation and aviation on the basis of international law and the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea in 1982, the enforcement of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, the Code of Conduct to be achieved, and not militarising the East Sea.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung invited his counterpart to visit Vietnam soon and the invitation was accepted.

PM arrives in Kuala Lumpur for ASEAN Summit

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the evening of November 20 to attend the 27th ASEAN Summit and related high-level meetings, which will be held there in the next two days.

Attending the 27th ASEAN Summit, the Vietnamese delegation aims to continue exercising the country’s independent and self-controlled foreign policy for peace, cooperation, development, international multi-lateralisation and diversification, active international integration.

It also wants to help promote tighter and more efficient ASEAN linkages while strengthening and enhancing solidarity, unification as well as the significant role of ASEAN in ensuring peace, security, cooperation and development in the region.

This summit is of significance as leaders of ASEAN states are expected to sign documents related to the formation of the ASEAN Community 2015 – a historical turning point in the bloc’s development process.

Along with the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN+1 Summit with seven partners of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, the US, New Zealand and the United Nations, the ASEAN+3 Summit and the East Asia Summit will be also organised.

VNA