A delegation of Ichinoseki city, located in Japan’s Iwate prefecture, led by Mayor Yoshihito Sato paid a working visit to Hoa Binh city of Hoa Binh province on January 18 to discuss bilateral cooperation. They were welcomed by Nguyen Van Thang, member of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board and Secretary of the Party Committee of Hoa Binh city, along with officials of some local departments and sectors.

Addressing the meeting, Secretary of the Hoa Binh municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Thang said with many similarities between the two sides, he hopes his city will have long-term cooperation with Ichinoseki in order to attract more investment to local industrial parks and clusters, and develop urban areas, tourism, culture, sports, health care, waste treatment, agriculture, and rural areas.

Mayor Yoshihito highly valued the socio-economic development of Hoa Binh city. He said many Japanese enterprises have come to invest here, and thanks to support from the city’s authorities, they have operated effectively, thus substantially contributing to Hoa Binh province’s budget and creating jobs for many local residents.

At the event, the two sides introduced their respective cities’ potential, strength, environmental landscapes, and cultural traditions. They discussed and agreed on the cooperation in training and labour export. They also proposed exchanges and programmes be held to share experience in the management of educational institutions, enhance cultural links, develop tourism, attract investment, and train health workers.  

After that, the administrations of Ichinoseki and Hoa Binh cities signed a memorandum on cooperation under which they will promote investment attraction to local industrial parks and clusters. They will share management experience in the fields of urban development, tourism, culture, sports, health, science - technology, clean industries, waste treatment, and environmental protection. The two cities will also reinforce ties in human resources development in line with relevant legal regulations of Vietnam and Japan. In addition, they will step up the sending and reception of Vietnamese technicians, engineers, trainees, skilled workers, and vocational students in the areas matching both sides’ interest.

Besides, the cities will consider pushing ahead with the collaboration in agriculture and rural development, especially sharing agricultural production and processing techniques, and foster friendship, people-to-people ties, and cultural exchanges.