Hanoi – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, on Sunday in Hanoi with the two sides expected to discuss cooperating in their responses to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
On the second leg of Kishida’s eight-day tour of Southeast Asia and Europe, the two leaders are expected to confirm their commitment to closer bilateral cooperation in the security and economic fields.
The focus has been on whether the two can agree to work together over Russia’s aggression. Japan is stepping up sanctions on Moscow in coordination with other Group of Seven nations, but Vietnam is known for its ties with Moscow going back to the Soviet era. Hanoi abstained from a U.N. vote in March on a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I am convinced that we can join hands with Vietnam for the peace and stability of the region and the world,” Kishida said as he attended a dinner hosted by Chinh on Saturday after arriving in the country.
Kishida has repeatedly said Russia’s invasion has shaken the foundation of the international order and said before heading for Indonesia on Friday that his trip, also covering Thailand, Italy and Britain, is aimed at building peace.
During the meeting in Hanoi, Kishida is also expected to discuss the specifics of cooperation with Vietnam toward realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” a vision Japan has been promoting as the region faces an increasingly assertive China.
The two last held a meeting when Chinh was invited to Japan in November after Kishida became prime minister in the previous month.
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