HCM City expects to be model of Vietnam-Japan local-to-local cooperation
Ho Chi Minh City hopes to be a model of local-to-local cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said at a ceremony on September 20 to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties.
The first carriage of HCM City’s Metro Line 1 was manufactured in Japan.(Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA)- Ho Chi Minh City hopes to be a model of local-to-local cooperation betweenVietnam and Japan, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said ata ceremony on September 20 to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties.
Mai said the southern metropolis has set up cooperative ties with seven Japanese localities, adding that the relationshipwith Japanese localities in particular and Japanese partners in general isalways one of the city's top priorities.
In the context that Japan isstrengthening connections with the Mekong region and promoting the vision of afree and open Indo-Pacific region, HCM City can play an important role inconnecting regional supply and value chains, contributing to shaping a fair,stable and sustainable regional security architecture, he continued.
He said that the city wishes and stands ready, together with the Government and Japanese partners, in exploring andimplementing initiatives to create a broader development space for both peoples,as well as for the regional and global communities.
HCM City hopes that Japaneseinvestors will continue to promote investment in potential areas such asproduction and transportation infrastructure, logistics, healthcare and urbandevelopment, he said, adding it expects to create a new Official DevelopmentAssistance cooperation model with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),through a dynamic combination of JICA's aid, the city's budget, businesses'investment and the involvement of service users.
For his part, Ono Masuo,Consul General of Japan in HCM City, said that the friendly and cooperativerelationship between the two countries is growing in many fields, suchas economics, politics, culture and sports. The visit to Vietnam by Japanese CrownPrince Akishino and his wife from September 20 - 21 will offer a new turningpoint for Japan-Vietnam relations, he noted.
🦩 According to the ConsulateGeneral of Japan, the number ofJapanese businesses investing in HCM City and southern localities has exceeded1,000 businesses, elaborating that Japanese enterprises have expandedto providing goods and services to the Vietnamese domestic market, instead offocusing only on manufacturing for export.
Japan wishes to continue cooperatingwith HCM City to further develop friendship and cooperation between the twocountries, Ono said./.
The Vietnam - Japan relations are now in their prime and live up to the countries’ extensive strategic partnership, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (September 21, 1973 - 2023).
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council has officially approved the establishment of a Department of Food Safety in the city, the first such provincial-level agency in the country.
Study of new technologies is underway in Ho Chi Minh City to complete its transport system, and ease traffic congestion that has plagued the southern hub for a long time.
Friendship and mutual trust based on people-to-people exchanges nurtured for many years have formed an impetus for the Vietnam - Japan relations, said Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
The first carriage of HCM City’s Metro Line 1 was manufactured in Japan.(Photo: VNA) 
