JCP Chair Shii meets Vietnam National Assembly Chair Trong

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP Chair Shii meets Vietnam National Assembly Chair Trong

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s National Assembly chairman, on March 17 at the JCP head office. Trong, who is also a Communist Party of Vietnam Politburo member, was visiting Japan at the invitation of Japan’s Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Giving Chairman Nguyen and the Vietnamese parliamentary delegation a warm welcome, Shii spoke about impressions he had during his last visit to Vietnam in January 2007. In particular, he referred to Vietnam’s efforts to develop its “socialist-oriented market economy” line and reduce the poverty rate, to the increasing role of the National Assembly as the highest state organ, and to young people taking pride in the history of the Vietnamese people’s struggle against U.S. aggression.

Referring to the first theoretical discussion between the JCP and the CPV in November last year in Tokyo, Shii said he is satisfied with the successful implementation of the agreement he reached with CPV General Secretary Nong Duc Manh during talks in Hanoi to raise the bilateral relationship to levels worthy of the 21^st century.

Referring to the significance of Shii’s visit to Vietnam, Trong conveyed to Shii a message from CPV General Secretary Manh expressing his wish to further strengthen bilateral relations.

While stressing Vietnam’s great achievements based on the Doi Moi policy in the last 20 years, Trong said that the tasks still to be dealt with include economic growth, the elimination of social gaps, the further development of democracy, and strengthening environmental measures.

Trong expressed his hope that bilateral theoretical exchanges with the JCP will develop further.

The meeting was also attended by (from the JCP) Ichida Tadayoshi, Secretariat head, Ogata Yasuo, vice chair; (from the CPV) Nguyen Van Son, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ha Van Hien, chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Economic and Budgetary Affairs, and Nguyen Phu Binh, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan.

- Akahata, March 18, 2008