Toshiyuki Ishii, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DHG Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, spoke at the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Japan at a seminar in Cần Thơ City on June 18. — VNA/VNS Photo

MEKONG DELTA — To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Japan , representatives of both sides had a meeting to find out the most effective cooperation direction in the future based on promoting competitive advantages in human resources and land resources in the Mekong Delta.

During the event held in Cần Thơ City on June 18, Nguyễn Thực Hiện, vice chairman of the Cần Thơ City People's Committee, said there remains huge potential for the Mekong Delta region and Japanese businesses to set up and expand cooperation because the advantages of the Mekong Delta region are suitable for the demand of the Japanese side.

Authorities of the Mekong Delta region hope that the event will serve as a bridge calling on Japanese investors to take part in important projects of the city in the future, affirming the locality’s commitment to coordinate with Japanese investors so that the two sides can achieve harmonised interests.

Việt Nam and Japan have closely cooperated at multilateral forums and mechanisms at both regional and global levels; actively coordinate in regional and international issues of mutual concern, promote economic linkages, and liberalize trade through the signing and implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Hiện said.

Regarding local relations, Cần Thơ City has established cooperative relations with three Japanese localities, namely Hyogo province, Okayama City and Nasushiobara City in Tochigi Province. Currently, Cần Thơ City has six direct investors from Japan, with a total registered investment capital of about US$1.35 billion.

In 2022, Cần Thơ's import-export turnover with Japan is US$233 million and in the first four months of 2023, this figure reached US$50 million.

However, these figures are still quite modest compared to the advantages of the close friendship and cooperation between the two countries, as well as the available potential between the localities, Hiện said.

As one of three localities that signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with Cần Thơ, Watanabe Michitaro, Mayor of Nasushiobara city, said that Japanese investors highly appreciate Vietnam's young and abundant human resources. In addition, there is the hard work and willingness to learn of the workers.

Watanabe Michitaro said that, in order to further increase the competitive advantage in human resources, Vietnamese workers need to build an industrial style and a sense of discipline at work.

The Mayor said he hopes it can pave the way for concrete cooperation between the two cities in the future, adding that they can develop their collaboration in other fields as well.

Cần Thơ and Nasushiobara began cooperating in January 2020. Up to now, the relationship between the two localities has continuously strengthened with many friendship activities. The senior leaders of the two localities have paid working visits to each side to develop the great potential for cooperation, especially in the fields of agriculture and tourism.

The signing of the MoU is essential so that the two sides can promote cooperation and complement each other in line with development needs.

Toshiyuki Ishii, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hậu Giang Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, said that Japanese businesses very much want Vietnamese workers working in Japanese companies to build their working style such as being on time and meeting production standard.

In addition, Toshiyuki Ishii wants workers in the Mekong Delta to focus on developing working skills. This is a key factor to be able to meet job requirements in the new era, and to master automation and high-tech equipment.

To strengthen cooperation between the Mekong Delta region and Japan in the coming time, experts suggested continuing to create favourable conditions for businesses of the two sides to exchange and explore the demand, advantages, and actual capacity of each side, thereby promoting effective collaboration in the fields of agriculture and tourism, creating a premise for trade and investment cooperation. — VNS