HÀ NỘI — About 7,000 sakura cherry blossom branches transported from Japan by air and a number of Vietnamese flowers will be put on display in downtown Hải Phòng as part of the Japanese cultural exchange in the northern coastal city to be held from Friday to Sunday.

The Việt Nam-Japan cultural exchange event and the cherry blossom exhibition is held to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (1973-2018), said Deputy Director of Hải Phòng Department of Culture and Sports Trần Thị Hoàng Mai at a press conference on Tuesday.

Along with the exhibition, a seminar to promote tourism and business investment co-operation between Hải Phòng and its Japanese partners will take place on Saturday.

Deputy Director of Hải Phòng City’s Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Centre Phạm Hưng Hùng said these events were expected to promote the image, tourist attractions and economic strength of Hải Phòng City to the people of Japan.

He called for Japanese investment in the fields of high tech agriculture development, health care, education and environmental protection. He also welcomed the introduction of Japanese culture and people to Việt Nam.

Japanese cherry trees planted in Hà Nội

Last week, about 500 cherry blossom trees were planted at the Hòa Bình Park in Hà Nội, also as part of the activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Việt Nam-Japan diplomatic ties.

The event, which was attended by Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda and Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung, was held by the AEON Environmental Foundation as Japan’s response to a city project to plant 1 million green trees in the capital.

The trees, selected from the variety grown in Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture, which has a similar climate to Hà Nội, are growing well and expected to blossom in the future.

Ambassador Kunio Umeda said the planting of cherry blossom trees in Hà Nội is also meant to contribute to environmental protection.

He said hoped the trees will Hòa Bình Park an ideal place for Hanoians to relax and enjoy cherry blossoms.

Chairman of the AEON Environmental Foundation Takuya Okada said since 2014, the foundation has grown nearly 100,000 trees in Hà Nội and the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế.

He added that the foundation planted 200 cherry blossom trees at Hòa Bình Park last year.

Chairman Chung said last year’s cherry blossom trees are growing well, symbolising the continuous development of the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Japan as well as between Hà Nội and AEON Group.

He hoped the event will help raise public awareness of the need to protect the environment. More than 200 Vietnamese and Japanese volunteers joined hands to plant the cherry trees. — VNS