Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and StatePresident Nguyen Phu Tron♚g on March 22 held phone talks with President of the LiberalDemocratic Party (LDP) and Prime Minister of Japan Suga Yoshihide.

On behalf of the LDP and the Government of Japan, Suga offeredcongratulations on the success of the 13th National Congress of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and on the Vietnamese leader’s re-election asGeneral Secretary of the CPV Central Committee for the 13th tenure. He expressed his belief that under the leadership of theCPV, headed by General Secretary and State President Trong, Vietnam willharvest even greater achievements in the Doi moi (Renewal) process. The LDP President and Prime Minister of Japan affirmed that thathe attaches importance to the extensive strategic partnership withVietnam and is determined to further contribute to the development of the bilateral relations. Amid complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanwill continue working with Vietnam in the disease prevention and control, hesaid, voicing his hope for close coordination to promote the bilateralrelations in a comprehensive, practical, and effective manner, towards the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2023. For his part, Party General Secretary and State PresidentTrong thanked the LDP and Suga for their congratulations to the CPV’s 13th National Congress and himself. He emphasised Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy ofindependence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development,diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, active andproactive integration into the world, and being a trustworthy partner and anactive and responsible member of the international community. Highlighting the flourishing ties between Vietnam and Japan,as well as between the CPV and the LDP, he said that Vietnam consistentlyviews Japan as a leading, long-term, and highly reliable strategic partner. The Vietnamese leader asked both sides to increase all-levelexchanges and meetings, call on Japan to continue assisting Vietnam tosuccessfully implement the strategies and socio-economic development plansadopted at the 13th National Party Congress, and enhance connectivity between the two economies. During their talks, the two leaders also discussed regionaland international issues of shared concern./.