Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucreceived outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio in Hanoi on March24, highlighting the two countries’ stronger relations during the diplomat’stenure.

Noting the sound development of the bilateralrelations despite complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PM saidVietnam wishes to share information and experience and stands ready tocooperate with Japan in the fight against the disease.

He said at his meetings with Vietnameseambassadors, he often referred to Umeda as an exemplary ambassador, adding thatduring the diplomat’s term, the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnershipfor peace and prosperity in Asia has continually been promoted via allchannels, including between their parties, states, localities, organisationsand peoples. Notably, high-level activities have been increased.

The host leader said Japan is always a leadingpartner of Vietnam in terms of investment, trade and official developmentassistance provision. He also highly valued Umeda’s patience to tackle problemsin bilateral economic cooperation.

PM Phuc added he has visited Japan for manytimes during this tenure, and this is among the fine outcomes in theconnections between the two countries which he partly attributed to thediplomat’s contributions.

For his part, Umeda thanked the VietnameseGovernment, especially PM Phuc, for supporting and facilitating him to fulfillhis duties.

He voiced his delight that the countries’relations have been enhanced in multiple spheres in the recent past, includingeconomy, trade, investment, security, defence and people-to-people exchange.

He noted Japanese PM Abe Shinzo always attachesimportance to bilateral cooperation.

Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic which isdeveloping complicatedly around the world, the ambassador expressed hisadmiration for the Vietnamese Government and PM Phuc’s drastic actions in thedisease prevention and control, adding that his country is also working hard tofight the pandemic.

Umeda also thanked the Vietnamese PM for sendinga letter to his Japanese counterpart to express sympathies over the lossescaused by this epidemic.

At the meeting, PM Phuc appreciated the ambassador’sraising of many practical ideas to strengthen the countries’ partnership,adding that aside from the two Governments’ ties, relations between him and PMAbe Shinzo are very good, too.

This is a basis for the two nations to exchangeviewpoints on bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and internationalmatters, in a trustworthy, straightforward and constructive manner, he said,speaking highly of PM Abe’s strong support for ASEAN and Vietnam’s viewpoint onthe East Sea issue for many times.

Given negative impact of COVID-19, the leadercalled on the Government and businesses of Japan to continue bolstering tradeand investment links.

According to him, thanks to many drasticmeasures taken by the Vietnamese Government in the fight against the diseasesince the beginning, despite a large population, the country has a low COVID-19infection rate. Therefore, investors from Japan and other nations could feelsecure to do business in Vietnam in the long term./.