HÀ NỘI  — Politburo member and Secretary of HCM City’s Party Committee Đinh La Thăng on Thursday attended the opening ceremony of “HCM City days in Osaka 2017” as part of a visit of HCM City’s high-ranking officials to Japan.

The event has been held to celebrate the 10-year partnership between HCM City and Osaka prefecture and the 20-year partnership between HCM City and Osaka City.

In the context of improved Việt Nam-Japan ties, the partnership between HCM City and Osaka has been a bright spot, Lê Thanh Liêm, standing deputy chairman of HCM City’s People’s Committee said.

The two-day event has been filled with exhibitions which feature HCM City’s achievements and sport and tourism exchange activities between the two countries and cities.

Visitors to the event can also enjoy traditional music and a fashion show of Vietnamese traditional dress (áo dài) and conical hats.

The same day, Thăng and HCM City’s delegation met with Osaka Prefecture’s Governor Ichiro Matsui and Osaka City’s Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura.

Thăng said that Osaka is one of localities that offers the most important environmental solutions to HCM City, including water management techniques, solid waste classification, climate change adaptation and student exchanges.

Thăng confirmed receiving Ichiro Matsui’s letter about sending a delegation of Japanese students to HCM City in 2017, saying that HCM City will support the students.

On the occasion, Thăng also thanked leaders of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City for helping the Vietnamese living and working in Osaka.

For his part, Osaka Prefecture’s Governor Ichiro Matsui said that HCM City days in Osaka introduces Vietnamese culture and energetic HCM City, saying that the event would promote friendship between the two sides.

Osaka is preparing to host World Expo 2025, hoping HCM City will engage in the event which is a good chance for the two countries to promote economic and tourism co-operation, he said.

Osaka Prefecture is Japan’s second largest economic hub. The city has seen rapid economic development but still preserves ancient architectures and cultural identities.

Earlier on Wednesday, Thăng and Governor of Hyogo Prefecture Toshizo Ido attended a conference boosting economic co-operation between the two localities in which the two leaders agreed to expand co-operation in industry, seaport service and hi-tech agriculture. — VNS