Japan Vietnam vow to boost security, economic ties amid growing threat from China

As China's influence in the region grows, Japan and Vietnam have decided to fortify their security and trade relations. In their Monday meeting in Tokyo, Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided to expand their security cooperation, work on defense equipment and technology transfers, and begin talking about a new Japanese aid program for the militaries of like-minded developing nations in the area. According to their joint statement, which was made available by Japan's Foreign Ministry, the two leaders declared that the relationship between their countries would develop into a "comprehensive strategic partnership" and that…