President Vu Tien Loc of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) recently hosted a meeting with Mr Dinh Ngoc Hai, Chairman of the Vietnam Business Association in Japan, at the VCCI headquarters in Hanoi. The meeting aimed to foster cooperation and exchange information on trade and industrial investment activities of Vietnamese and Japanese companies with VCCI.
The Vietnam Business Association in Japan was launched at a ceremony at the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan on November 8, 2013. While Vietnam - Japan relations are developing in all aspects like economy, trade, science and technology, especially in the year both nations celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the formation of the association is an event of crucial significance as it will help open up opportunities for broader cooperation between its member enterprises with Japanese and Vietnamese companies as well as act as a focal point to attract investment from Japan to Vietnam and vice versa.
At the launching ceremony, Mr Tsutomu Takebe, former Secretary General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), former Chairman of Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, and Chairman of East Asia Research Institute, affirmed that the launch of the Vietnam Business Association in Japan provides huge opportunities for economic exchange, technology transfer and relationship building between the two countries. He believed that the association will connect enterprises of the two countries and create momentums for economic development and labour restructuring for both sides.
The Vietnam Business Association has 32 initial member enterprises run by Vietnamese people or Vietnamese-originated people. Its member companies operate across the industry, including medical equipment production, software engineering, import, export, aviation, machinery, mechanical equipment and personnel management. They are time-honoured, well-reputed businesses in Japan. The association also admits two leading firms from Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines FPT Corporation.
The association wants to become a trusted partner of enterprises, associations and institutions in Japan and Vietnam and contribute more to economic growth, investment, scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries. The objective of the association is to combine the power of member companies, take part in business expansion, and contribute to the development of Japan and Vietnam.
After it was launched, the association has been contacted by Vietnamese and Japanese agencies to arrange meetings to discuss cooperation plans with the association in general and its members in particular. The association has also received many cooperation requests from other organisations and businesses such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Vietnam Economics Research Institute and East Asia Research Institute.
Currently, the Executive Board of the Vietnam Business Association in Japan is preparing upcoming activities, including the reception of the Vietnamese Prime Minister in December, the exchange with Vietnam - Japan Industry Association (including presidents, CEOs of over 100 Japanese companies like Mitsui and Toyota), and the speech delivered to the conference on investment and business in Vietnam organised by Nikkei BP. During the Vietnamese Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Japan in December, the association expects to report on programmes to study and develop Japan's agriculture and education model in Vietnam.
Anh Mai
Vietnamese
