Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Do Trong Hung (L) and Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Nikai Toshihiro (Photo: Internet)

Thanh Hoa (VNA) – Authorities of the north-central province of Thanh Hoa held a connectivityconference with Japan on May 6 to look toward sustainable development and greengrowth.

Since 1997, theJapanese Government has funded 10 official development assistance programmesand projects worth 45.5 million USD in the province. From 1992 to 2022, theJapanese Embassy conducted 24 aid projects in Thanh Hoa in the fields of health care, clean water and education,among others.

Thanh Hoa records 13,346 trainees workingfor Japanese companies in textile, industrial sewing, electronic assembling,mechanical processing, processing, construction, agriculture, nursing. Lastyear, up to 53,000 Japanese tourists arrived in the province, accounting for21.6% of the total foreign arrivals. They brought in a revenue of 17.7 millionUSD, or 24.7% of the total earnings from foreign visitors.

With 17 projectsvalued at about 6.6 billion USD, or 45.7% of the total FDI in the province,Japan is now the biggest foreign investor there.

Speaking at theevent, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Do Trong Hung said in order to draw Japanese firms to the province, Thanh Hoa hasestablished the Japan Desk to boost investment, trade, tourism and supportJapanese businesses and investors who wish to explore opportunities in theprovince.

In the coming time, Thanh Hoa wishes toenhance comprehensive cooperation with Japanese partners in smart citydevelopment, e-government, education, health care, human resource developmentand labour market. It also expects to receive more ODA projects usingnon-refundable aids and concessional loans from the Japanese Government, hesaid.

The province willcontinue improving business environment viastepping up administrative reform, ensuring security and social safety andorder, he added.

Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam ParliamentaryFriendship Alliance Nikai Toshihiro, for his part, said with rich tourism resources, Thanh Hoa could push forwardtourism economy with Japan.

As part of the conference, a bo☂othshowcasing the province's signature products, strengths, and Japanese organisationsand businesses also opened./.