HÀ NỘI — Sustainable development has become a topic of concern, in the context that both the world and Việt Nam are facing problems of environmental pollution, depletion of resources, ecological imbalances, the gap between the rich and poor and its implications in the development process.

Prof Motoo Furuta, Rector of Việt Nam-Japan University (VJU), stressed, in his opening speech, at a conference held in Hà Nội yesterday.

The conference, which was the first in a series of activities during the VJU’s opening week, attracted some 250 guests, speakers and educators from Việt Nam and Japan.

"Sustainable development is the philosophy throughout the academic activities of the VJU,” he said, adding that the university’s missions were to provide human resources and research products of high quality, acquisition and transfer of knowledge from Japan; and promote co-operative relations between ViệtNam and Japan.

Sharing the same opinion, Dr Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, stressed the importance of the free flow of trade in the world and training human resources to Việt Nam.

“In recent years, Asian countries and Việt Nam  are playing an increasingly important role in the free flow of trade in the world,” he said, describing it as an unpreventable trend.

He urged for putting in place strong reforms, especially in high quality human resources training, to realise Việt Nam’s economic potentials.

Meanwhile, Kitaoka Shinichi, president of Japan International Co-operation Agency, reiterated the important milestone in the relationship Việt Nam and Japan have played in the world’s history.

He stressed that Việt Nam and Japan had many similarities, such as in population size, and both were influenced by the Chinese civilisation and the spirit of love for peace, as well as respect for international law.

He also noted the help Japan provided Việt Nam in various infrastructure projects, such as Terminal T2 of Nội Bài International airport, Nhật Tân Bridge, Chợ Rẫy Hospital and the Việt Nam-Japan University, which he said was a special project for training students between the two countries.

Prof Dr Vũ Minh Giang, Chairman of VNUH’s Science and Training Council, analysed the similarities and differences between Việt Nam and Japan in their natural conditions, cultural, organisational models and behaviours with foreign cultures.

"The two nations are like the left and right hands, which seem to be in contrast, but not in conflict. They support each other. Therefore, we need to combine and complement each other to grow stronger in the future," he said.

In the opening lecture on global change and sustainability, Prof Kensuke Fukushi from University of Tokyo said that for sustainable development, humans needed to balance the three elements of economic, social and environment.

He also stressed that climate change was both a challenge and an opportunity for Việt Nam. — VNS