Bac Giang's Vietnam-Japan Friendship Assoc convenes first congress hinh anh 1At the event (Photo: VNA)

Bac Giang (VNA) – The first Congress of the Vietnam – Japan Friendship Association of Bac Giang for the 2021-2026 tenure was held on December 28.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phan The Tuan described Japan as one of the strategic and important foreign investors in Bac Giang, ranking fourth in the number of projects and sixth among 20 countries and territories in terms of total registered capital. Its projects focus on electronic spare parts, animal feed processing, electrical equipment, plastics, apparel and supporting industry.

Over the past years, Bac Giang has received over 20 projects and sub-projects using official development assistance worth over 489.1 billion VND (21.26 million USD) from the Japanese Government in the fields of transport infrastructure, health care, education, irrigation, clean water supply and environmental hygiene.

It has so far obtained 10 non-governmental aid packages from Japanese individuals and organisations at a total fund of 1.88 million USD. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sent volunteers to Bac Giang to assist it in education, health care and investment promotion. Over 3,000 local residents are working in Japan while 135 students are studying there.

Tuan suggested the association improve its working efficiency, open more Japanese language courses for students in specialised and vocational schools, introduce Japanese investors to Bac Giang and pay attention to quality human resource training to Japanese firms in Bac Giang and northern localities.

At the congress, a 17-strong executive board of the association was elected. Head of the provincial Party Committee's Commission for Mass Mobilisation Pham Van Thinh was elected as president of the association./.

VNA