 |
2009/02/24
DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama receives Vietnam's Planning and Investment Minister to Exchange Views On Developing Good Relations Between Both Countries
|
On the evening of February 24, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama received Vietnam's Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and his delegation at the Party headquarters to exchange views towards maintaining and developing good relations between both countries.
From the DPJ, member of the House of Councillors and Vice Director-General of the International Department Yukihisa Fujita, member of the House of Representatives Shoichi Kondo, member of the House of Councillors (and Vice Chair of the Election Campaign Committee) Masamitsu Naito, member of the House of Councillors and the Chair of the Corporate and External Organizations Committee Takeshi Maeda, member of the House of Councillors and Vice Minister
for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Next Cabinet Chiaki Takahashi, member of the House of Councillors and Acting Chair of the Public Relations Committee Shinkun Haku and members of the House of Councillors Yukishige Okubo and Yoshinobu Fujiwara attended the meeting.
At the start of the meeting, the Minister of Planning and Investment expressed his gratitude for the DPJ's support of Vietnam by saying,"I consider the friendly relations between Vietnam and Japan to be of great importance. I think that the DPJ is playing a significant role in building and maintaining good relations [between our countries]." Simultaneously, he referred to the resumption of Japan's ODA to Vietnam and said, "We are currently building a strategic partnership." Then he added that he wanted to take a step forward in
developing this relation.
Hatoyama extended his welcome and said, "[The government of] Japan and the DPJ are willing to work hard to establish better relations with your country. In this sense, I believe that the ODA in its own way will play an important role."
Hatoyama said that he had been informed that Vietnam is taking on big projects such as the construction of a science park, north-south high speed railways and motorways and added that he prayed for their success.
Furthermore, he introduced his party by saying, "I'm not sure when the next election will take place because Prime Minister Aso hasn't decided yet, but on the occasion of the next election, my party, the DPJ, is certain to achieve a change of government; the party feel this way and the people feel it too," and asked the Vietnamese delegation to understand that, in the wake of a DPJ government, the relations between Japan and Vietnam will increasingly become better.
Following these opening remarks, the exchange of views began with the self-introduction of Maeda, who was in charge of refugees' support and humanitarian assistance at the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam. Then, each of the DPJ's participants commented on their bonds with Vietnam, raised questions and presented opinions on how to implement good bilateral relations.
|
|
|
 |
|
