Consensus was reached during a virtual meeting between Chairman of the City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and Aichi’s Governor Ohmura Hideaki on September 14.
Phong thanked the Japanese Government for its timely support to Vietnam in the pandemic fight and expressed his hope that Japan, and Aichi prefecture in particular, will successfully bring the disease under control.
HCMC is working hard to complete the dual tasks of effectively fighting the pandemic and ensuring socio-economic development, he said, adding that it would like to exchange experience and cooperate with Aichi in this regard.
Highlighting the fruitful development of the friendship between the two localities, Phong said the limited exchanges and meetings due to COVID-19 would not undermine the dynamism in bilateral ties.
HCMC stands ready to partner with Aichi to step up online dialogues at all levels to maintain and consolidate relations, and wishes to intensify cooperation activities in traditional areas such as tourism and education, he continued.
The official called on Aichi’s businesses to invest in the southern Vietnamese metropolis, contributing to strengthening the friendship between the two localities.
For his part, Ohmura pledged to facilitate collaboration between HCMC and Aichi after the pandemic is brought under control.
The Governor expressed his hope of receiving more cooperation from HCMC in order to organise Vietnam Festivals in Aichi next year, which have been suspended this year.
Hirose Noriko, HCMC’s tourism ambassador in Aichi, said that despite the pandemic the prefecture is still ready to realise cooperation programmes once the disease is contained.
Trade between HCMC and Japan reached US$3 billion in the first seven months of this year. Japan ranks fifth among 110 countries and territories investing the southern hub, with total investment amounting to US$4.5 billion.
As of August 2019, Aichi had 43 companies in HCMC, with nearly US$37 million, making up about 30 percent of total businesses investing in Vietnam. Companies are primarily in auto repairs, information-communications, science-technology, and processing and manufacturing.
