VIETNAM, May 26 –

Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh is on a working visit to Japan from May 25 to 28. A correspondent from the Vietnamese News Agency in Japan spoke with Vietnam’s Ambassador to Japan Vũ Hồng Nam about the event.

What will be the content of Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh’s working visit to Japan?

At the invitation of the Nikkei Group, the Deputy Prime Minister will attend the International Conference on the Future of Asia (FOA) and pay a working visit to Japan.

FOA is a prestigious annual international conference in Asia, attracting the participation of politicians, academics and business people from many Asian countries. The presence of Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh at FOA 2022 not only shows Việt Nam’s deep interest in the conference, but also shows the importance of FOA in general in Việt Nam’s foreign policy.

Furthermore, by participating in FOA 2022, we also want to send the message that Việt Nam is a reliable partner and an active and responsible member of the international community, ready to work with other countries to discuss and find solutions to challenges. urgent challenges of today, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.

While in Japan, Minh will hold meetings with leaders of the Japanese government, National Diet, ministries, localities and agencies, during which they will compare notes on measures to implement commitments made by senior officials. leaders of both countries, bringing the Việt Nam-Japan strategic partnership closer to a new period.

Since its first participation in the FOA in 2009, Việt Nam has actively participated and made many contributions to the success of this conference. Can you tell us about Việt Nam’s contributions to the FOA?

Việt Nam started participating in the FOA in 2009. Since then, we have continuously sent high-level delegations to this conference. Out of a total of 13 attendances, including FOA 2022, Việt Nam participated three times at the Prime Minister level, for the rest, we always sent participants at the Vice President or Deputy Prime Minister level.

The high-level participation of the Vietnamese delegation in the Asian FOA over the past 13 years has been highly appreciated by the organizing committee and participants as well as the Japanese side. Việt Nam not only contributes to the content of the conference with assessments and comments on the global and regional situation, the analysis of opportunities as well as the urgent challenges that countries need to focus on resolving. The government and state leaders of Việt Nam also affirmed the country’s commitment to contribute to building a world of peace, prosperity and sustainable development, by promoting dialogue and cooperation.

The theme of FOA 2022 is “Reshaping Asia’s Role in a Divided World”. What do you think of this theme?

I think it’s a very practical topic, in line with reality and which will receive a lot of attention. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian crisis, the rise of Asian countries and regions, the strategic shift of major countries out of the region create great transformations in the global and regional situation due to the impact of changes geopolitics and geoeconomics. tendencies.

Asia is a region of diverse values ​​and has for many years been a driving force behind global economic growth and recovery. However, the pandemic has rocked Asia, severing supply chains and causing an economic recession. This means that the foundations of Asia are solid but still quite fragile.

There was a time when Asia was seen as the engine of the global economy. And now, FOA 2022 boldly sets out a broader goal that Asia must play a significant role in global security and politics. This is an ambitious but well-founded goal as Asian countries have realized the strategic importance of the region and the objective requirement for action, solidarity and common efforts to achieve the goal of rebuilding the Asia after the pandemic and to respond to new challenges.

As the world today faces many challenges and changes, can you tell us how Việt Nam has contributed to peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world?

The settlement of disputes and disputes by peaceful means, based on the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, is a cross-cutting policy of Việt Nam’s peaceful foreign policy.

Việt Nam has actively participated and promoted its role in multilateral mechanisms, in particular ASEAN, the United Nations, regional and interregional cooperation mechanisms and the Mekong sub-region, in accordance with specific requirements, capacities and conditions. development of our country.

Together with ASEAN countries, Việt Nam has worked to strengthen the bloc’s central role in maintaining peace, security and prosperity in Southeast Asia as well as the Asia-Pacific. Regarding the settlement of disputes in the East Sea, Việt Nam always affirms its clear and consistent position, supporting the settlement of disputes through peaceful solutions and measures, through diplomatic processes and the law, not to use or threaten to use force, to comply with the Charter of the United Nations and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​1982, to maintain maritime peace, stability, security, safety and freedom and airlines and order in the area based on international law.

In particular, Việt Nam has actively participated in multilateral mechanisms such as promoting its role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (in the 2020-21 mandate), making active and responsible contributions to the Council of United Nations security on common issues. for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Since 2014, Việt Nam has joined the United Nations peacekeeping force in the field of military medicine and engineering. Although later than other countries, Việt Nam is highly appreciated by the United Nations and other countries for its strong political commitment and active contribution to the common mission. The presence of Vietnamese People’s Army officers in United Nations peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, Central African Republic, is a shining proof of our commitment to participate and make long-term contributions.

In addition, Việt Nam has also actively contributed to the efforts of the international community to respond to global challenges and contributed to humanitarian activities. In 2021, Việt Nam contributed a total of US$1 million to the COVAX program, strongly demonstrating international solidarity and responsible efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính announced $500,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine through international organizations.

As a country that has experienced many wars, Vietnamese people understand the value of peace very well. Việt Nam has done its best with the international community to strive for peace, stability, prosperity and development for every country in the world. —VNS