Illustrative image (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City wants to boost cooperation with Japanese localities in a more practical and effective manner, especially in the fields of hi-tech agriculture, support industry, high technology and human resources training.
Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong made the statement at a reception for a delegation from the Japan Council of Local Authorities on International Relations (CLAIR) led by its President Tamotsu Okamoto on January 13.
Speaking highly of relations between HCM City and Japanese localities, Phong said that his city has signed cooperation agreements with five localities of Japan and will set up ties with Nagano prefecture in the near future.
The partnerships have contributed to tightening the two countries’ relations, especially in economy, culture, tourism and personnel training, he noted.
The mayor highlighted great potential for collaboration between HCM City and Japan, citing the increasing number of Japanese tourists to the southern hub over the years.
For his part, Tamotsu Okamoto said his council will make every effort to foster cooperation and exchanges between the two sides. As Japan will host the Summer Olympic Games in 2020, it hopes to welcome a huge number of international visitors, including those from Vietnam, he added.
CLAIR will also organise a wide range of exchange activities among young generations in Japanese localities, he said, hoping that HCM City’s young people will join such events to boost people-to-people contacts between the two sides.
Japanese localities are ready to support and cooperate with HCM City in areas of their strength, he stressed.
CLAIR was set up in 1988 to assist 17 prefectures and 20 major cities in Japan in implementing international cooperation and exchange activities.-VNA
VNA
