ニュース 2009/01/15 Secretary General Hatoyama Meets the Central Foreign Affairs Committee Chair of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Agrees to Promote Friendly Relations On the evening of January 15, DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama met at party headquarters with Mr. Tran Van Hang, External Relations Commission Chairman of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV), a cabinet level post with responsibility for the CPV's centralized foreign policy. They agreed to promote continued friendly bilateral relations. At the start of the meeting, Secretary General Hatoyama thanked the delegation for visiting the DPJ headquarters. He expressed the DPJ's determination to take office during 2009 and then strengthen relations with Vietnam saying, "We are very hopeful for the future development of Vietnam. We will build co-operative bilateral relationships. The DPJ intends to take office in Japan and strengthen our ties." Chairman Hang first expressed thanks for his invitation before adding, "The Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam is scheduled to visit Japan. This visit will raise our bilateral relations to a new level. Japan is one of Vietnam's most important partner countries. We want to exchange information and develop relationships between party lawmakers on both sides". Hatoyama responded that the DPJ would focus on Asia in its diplomatic policy saying, "the current administration looks towards the U.S. The DPJ intends to emphasize the position of Japan within Asia and develop friendly relationships with our Asian neighbors." The whole meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere. In addition to Mr. Tran, other participants from Vietnam included CPV Commission for External Relations officials, namely, Chancellery Director Mr. Pham Tien Tu, China and North East Department Director Mr. Doan Ngoc Canh, General Affairs Department Director Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Protocol Department Director Mr. Nguyen Thai Van, China and North East Department Expart Mr. Vu Tien Han and the Vietnamese ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh. DPJ attendees were Corporate & External Organizations Committee (Cultural Organizations) Chair Takeshi Maeda, Public Relations Committee Acting Chair Shinkun Haku and House of Councillors Member Yukishige Okubo.