PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc received his counterpart Shinzo Abe in Hanoi on January 16

Meanwhile, Japanese PM Abe, who is the first foreign leader to visit Viet Nam this year, voiced support for strong development of Viet Nam, affirming that Japan attaches great importance to the relations with the Southeast Asian country.

The two PMs agreed to continue enhancing the two countries’ political trust through maintaining high-level visits and contacts; improving the effectiveness of their dialogue mechanisms; and closely collaborating to prepare well for Japanese Emperor’s upcoming visit to Viet Nam.

The two leaders also agreed to further foster substantial defense and security cooperation, including post-war bomb and mine clearance and enhancement of maritime law enforcement capacity.

Both sides reached consensus on accelerating the connectivity of the two economies through strengthening investment, trade, official development assistance, local-to-local cooperation, agriculture and labor.

PM Abe pledged to beef up high-quality infrastructure projects in Viet Nam and provide an addition of around US$1.05 billion in official development assistance in the fiscal year of 2016 to help the country cope with climate change, treat wastewater and strengthen maritime security.

Both sides agreed to continue implementation of the Viet Nam’s Industrialization Strategy within the Viet Nam-Japan Cooperation Framework through 2020, vision to 2030; the 6^th phase of the Viet Nam-Japan Joint Initiative to improve business environment in Viet Nam; and mega infrastructure projects, including the North-South expressway.

The two PMs welcomed the first meeting between the Japanese business delegation and leaders of the Vietnamese provinces scheduled on January 17 as part of PM Abe’s official visit to Viet Nam.

PM Abe announced that Japan has granted licenses for importing Viet Nam’s red-flesh dragon.

Regarding regional and international issues of common concerns, the two PMs vowed to coordinate closely at regional and international forums like ASEAN, APEC, ASEAN and the United Nations.

PM Abe committed to actively supporting Viet Nam to successfully host the APEC Year 2017.

The two leaders stressed the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, accelerating settlement of disputes via peaceful measures, and fully respecting diplomatic and legal processes.

Relevant parties must avoid actions that may intensify tensions or militarize to change the status quo in the East Sea; avoid using or threatening to use force; strictly comply with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East and and work towards conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.