June 7, 2017

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on June 6 met with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Politobureau, in Tokyo.

They agreed to enhance cooperation for the abolition of nuclear weapons. They also agreed to further develop friendly relations between the two parties which they pushed forward in the international arena such as at the UN conference on a nuclear weapons ban treaty.

The prime minister congratulated the JCP on its success in the JCP 27th Congress in January, and praised the key role played by the JCP in Japanese politics.

Shii expressed appreciation for the prime minister and said that he “felt encouraged” by the fact that the relations between two parties have developed in various fields.

Shii touched upon the JCP participation in the first session of the UN conference on a nuclear weapons ban treaty held in March at the UN Headquarters, and reported that he met with UN Ambassador of Vietnam Nguyen Phuong Nga to make concerted efforts for the success of the conference. Shii said to the prime minister, “Let us continue to work together for the success of the ‘second session’ (June 15 - July 7) of the conference and for the implementation of the treaty.” Prime Minister Phuc agreed with Shii by nodding emphatically.

They both agreed that the theoretical exchanges between the two parties conducted six times over 10 years had achieved success, and agreed to promote further exchanges.

On the issue regarding the regional situation, while the prime minister explained the Vietnamese government’s position regarding disputes in the South China Sea, Shii pointed out that the JCP 27th Congress resolution states clearly that taking forceful actions or military measures to change the status quo is impermissible.

Shii also pointed out that the disputes should be resolved through peaceful dialogue based on the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) which the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China also signed in 2002, and stressed the importance of the early conclusion of a legally binding code of conduct (COC).