The forum was held by the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka and the Kyushu Economic Federation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties. It attracted nearly 400 delegates who are representatives of Vietnamese businesses and localities, including Bac Giang, Ca Mau, Dien Bien, Hai Duong, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Long, and officials of Japanese prefectures in the Kyushu region.

Delegates cut the ribbon to launch the Vietnam-Kyushu Business Association.

In her opening remarks, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who is also head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, expressed her hope that the Vietnam - Japan relations, including those between Vietnam and Kyushu, will become a role model of the partnership for development. 

She said she wished for effective implementation of cooperation frameworks and projects in trade-investment, hi-tech agriculture, labour, manpower training, climate change response, green growth, new-generation official development assistance (ODA), strategic infrastructure, food security, and energy transition.

Hang said she believes that with many complementary advantages, Vietnam will be part of the answer to the search for growth momentum for the economy of Japan and Kyushu.

Particularly, the nearly 6 million overseas Vietnamese, including many successful entrepreneurs and intellectuals, in more than 130 countries and territories is an important resource for Vietnam’s development and also high potential partners of Japanese and global businesses, she added.

Fukuoka Governor Hattori Seitaro said businesses of his prefecture are highly interested in the Vietnamese market. He cited a survey by the local investment promotion agency as showing that Vietnam ranks second among the foreign markets that Fukuoka companies want to seek investment chances in.

He voiced his hope that Vietnamese and local businesses could source cooperation opportunities at the forum so that investment in each other’s markets will increase.

Meanwhile, Vu Chi Mai, Consul General of Vietnam in Fukuoka, affirmed that the Consulate General in the prefecture and the local administration will serve as a sustainable bridge helping the two countries’ localities and businesses, including the overseas Vietnamese companies in Japan, promote substantive and effective economic partnerships.

Earlier, Deputy Minister Hang and officials of the Vietnamese localities had a meeting with the Fukuoka Governor. Participants in the forum also visited an exhibition of products from Vietnamese and Kyushu localities and businesses.

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Source: VNA