Japan to Support Vietnam’s Crude Oil Procurement

Hanoi, May 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Vietnamese counterpart, Le Minh Hung, agreed Saturday to position economic security cooperation as a pillar of their countries’ bilateral relations, including Japan’s public-private support for Vietnam’s crude oil procurement. At their meeting in the Vietnamese capital, the two leaders also agreed to work together to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, including rare earths. They adopted a list of priority items for economic security cooperation in four areas–science and technology, semiconductor research and development, artificial intelligence and agricultural and food security. They also exchanged a document listing specific items for cooperation on digitalization, disaster prevention and water management. Japan and Vietnam have been stepping up their security cooperation, including holding a “two-plus-two” meeting of vice-ministerial officials from their foreign and defense ministries late last year. Vietnam’s current leadership was inaugurated in April. Takaichi also met with To Lam, head of the Communist Party of Vietnam and president of the Southeast Asian country. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]