President Võ Văn Thưởng (right) and Governor of Fukuoka prefecture Hattori Seitaro. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Võ Văn Thưởng hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Monday for Governor of Fukuoka prefecture Hattori Seitaro, the first leader of a Japanese prefecture to visit Việt Nam this year.

President Thưởng said the visit contributed to further deepening the Comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world between Việt Nam and Japan.

Commending the fruitful collaboration between Hà Nội and Fukuoka, he expressed his hope for the continued development of new and more effective cooperation programmes during the visit.

The President suggested the Governor facilitate people-to-people exchanges between Việt Nam and Japan, and specifically between Hà Nội and Fukuoka, especially holiday tourism for Japanese students to visit Việt Nam and vice versa.

In addition to encouraging Japanese businesses and those from Fukuoka to expand their operations in Việt Nam, he emphasised the importance of partnership with Vietnamese firms, especially in the areas of their strength such as highly skilled workforce training.

The President wished that leaders of Fukuoka would continue providing the best conditions for Vietnamese people and welcoming more Vietnamese to the country for study and working in the near future.

The Governor, for his part, said Fukuoka and Hà Nội would continue discussing and launching new cooperation programmes during his visit.

Alongside friendly cooperation activities, Fukuoka has focused on people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, especially fostering exchanges with Vietnamese who are studying and living in the prefecture, he said.

Expressing his desire to further enhance cooperation and exchange activities across various fields between Fukuoka and Hà Nội, he looked forward to receiving support from the President in this endeavor. — VNS