President holds bilateral meetings on fringes of Belt and Road Forum

President Trần Đại Quang (right) met on Sunday with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the One Belt One Road Forum in Beijing. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

BEIJING — President Trần Đại Quang on Sunday met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Secretary General of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

President Quang affirmed to Sharif that Việt Nam attaches importance to co-operation with Pakistan and noted his hope that the two countries will promote mutual visits and friendship exchanges on the occasion of the  四 五th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

He suggested the two countries make the best use of their bilateral co-operation mechanisms and push forward negotiations and signing of collaboration agreements in the realms of culture, sports, tourism, aviation and maritime transport.

The President also urged the two countries to fully tap their strength in an effort to bring bilateral trade to US$ 一 billion in the next three years.

At the same time, Việt Nam and Pakistan should expand their collaboration at multilateral forums, join hands to combat cross-border crimes and sign pending judicial assistance agreements.

PM Sharif shared President Quang’s views on the two countries’ potential for co-operation and the need to strengthen bilateral collaboration, particularly in economy and trade.

President Trần Đại Quang (right) met on Sunday with Secretary General of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, Toshihiro Nikai, in Beijing. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan SángAt the meeting with Nikai, who is also Chairman of the Japan-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, President Quang expressed his hope that the Liberal Democratic Party and Nakai himself will contribute more to the Việt Nam-Japan relationship.

He suggested the two countries increase visits and meetings at all levels, particularly at high levels and between the two countries’ parliamentarians.

The President appealed to Japan to continue providing official development assistance to Việt Nam.

Việt Nam backs the extension of international trade and welcomes Japanese investors to the country, as well as cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, he said.

Praising Việt Nam’s role in the region, Nikai expressed his support for Việt Nam’s hosting of APEC  二0 一 七.

He affirmed that Japan hopes to foster its extensive strategic partnership with Việt Nam and highly values co-operation and exchanges between the two countries’ legislative bodies.

Nikai, in his capacity as Chairman of the Japan-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, pledged to step up relations between the two parliaments. — VNS