The first carriage of HCM City’s Metro Line 1 was manufactured in Japan.(Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City hopes to be a model of local-to-local cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said at a ceremony on September 20 to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties.
Mai said the southern metropolis has set up cooperative ties with seven Japanese localities, adding that the relationship with Japanese localities in particular and Japanese partners in general is always one of the city's top priorities.
In the context that Japan is strengthening connections with the Mekong region and promoting the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, HCM City can play an important role in connecting regional supply and value chains, contributing to shaping a fair, stable and sustainable regional security architecture, he continued.
He said that the city wishes and stands ready, together with the Government and Japanese partners, in exploring and implementing initiatives to create a broader development space for both peoples, as well as for the regional and global communities.
HCM City hopes that Japanese investors will continue to promote investment in potential areas such as production and transportation infrastructure, logistics, healthcare and urban development, he said, adding it expects to create a new Official Development Assistance cooperation model with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through a dynamic combination of JICA's aid, the city's budget, businesses' investment and the involvement of service users.
For his part, Ono Masuo, Consul General of Japan in HCM City, said that the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries is growing in many fields, such as economics, politics, culture and sports. The visit to Vietnam by Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife from September 20 - 21 will offer a new turning point for Japan-Vietnam relations, he noted.
According to the Consulate General of Japan, the number of Japanese businesses investing in HCM City and southern localities has exceeded 1,000 businesses, elaborating that Japanese enterprises have expanded to providing goods and services to the Vietnamese domestic market, instead of focusing only on manufacturing for export.
Japan wishes to continue cooperating with HCM City to further develop friendship and cooperation between the two countries, Ono said./.
