Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong speaks as he attends the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Leaders event at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023.
REUTERS/Brittany Hosea-Small/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHANOI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Vietnam and Japan on Monday officially upgraded their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" during a visit by Vietnamese president Vo Van Thuong to Tokyo.
Vietnam has designated five other countries as comprehensive strategic partners, including China, India, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
Japan is Vietnam's third-largest source of foreign investment and its fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $50 billion last year.
Vietnam and Japan, both embroiled in separate maritime disputes with China, in 2020 reached a $348 million Japanese loan agreement for Vietnam to build six patrol vessels.
Persons:
Vo Van Thuong, Brittany Hosea, Vo Van, Thuong, Khanh Vu, Ed Osmond
Organizations:
Economic, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Rights, Monday, Japan, Honda, Panasonic, Bridgestone, Thomson
Locations:
Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Rights HANOI, Vietnam, Japan, Tokyo, China, United States, India, Russia, South Korea