Central Highlands provinces seek ways to boost business partnership with Japan

VGP – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in coordination with the Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and other Japanese agencies in Viet Nam, organized a seminar on strengthening cooperation between Viet Nam’s Central Highlands region and Japan, in Buon Ma Thuot City (Dak Lak) on October 7.

October 08, 2019 4:24 PM GMT+7

At the event

In his remarks, Director of the Department of Provincial Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Nguyen Hoang Long highly appreciated the Viet Nam-Japan relations over recent years, stating that Japan is now one of Viet Nam’s leading cooperation partner.

During the event, delegates watched a video introducing an overview of the five Central Highlands provinces’ resources, potentials, strengths, development orientations, projects calling for investment, and policies to attract investment in various fields.

In particular, the Central Highlands is said to seize huge potential for the development of agro-forestry, the processing industry, clean energy and tourism.

Representatives from Japanese agencies showed their interest and desire to invest and expand business activities in Viet Nam, including in the Central Highlands region.

Viet Nam has become the second most attractive destination in the world for Japanese companies, with about 70% of Japanese companies operating in the Southeast Asian country planning to expand their business activities.

At the seminar, the two sides proposed measures to strongly accelerate bilateral cooperation in diverse spheres, while discussing orientations in implementing trade-investment promotion programs and supporting the provinces.

JETRO Chief Representative and Vice Chairman of the Japan Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City Shinji Hirai emphasized that with incentives from natural and climatic conditions, the Central Highlands provinces have great potential to develop agricultural production, high technology, agricultural post-harvest handling and renewable energy.

There also remains huge potential for the localities in the region to enhance cultural and tourism exchanges with Japan, he said.

The seminar aimed to accelerate the Central Highlands localities’ connectivity and collaboration with the Japanese government’s representative agencies, as well as with representatives of the Japanese business community in Viet Nam.

It also offered a platform for leaders of the Central Highlands localities and Japanese agencies to explore information and discuss specific policies, measures and projects to boost bilateral cooperation in the near future.

By Vien Nhu