HCM City is seeking support and co-operation in auto manufacturing with Japan's Aichi prefecture - a locality seen as the centre of Japan's auto industry.— File Photo

HCM CITY (Biz Hub)— HCM City is seeking support and co-operation in auto manufacturing with Japan's Aichi prefecture - a locality seen as the centre of Japan's auto industry.

Vice Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Le Manh Ha outlined this ambition while speaking to visiting Aichi Governor Ohmura Hideaki and business leaders yesterday.

Ha said he hoped businesses from Aichi would conduct more market research and increase their investment in the city.

According to the HCM City official, about 500 Japanese businesses were currently operating in the city, with a total capital of about US$2 billion.

Two-way trade between HCM City and Japan amounted to nearly $4 billion annually, Ha said, adding that the city welcomed over 300,000 Japanese visitors each year.

On this occasion, Ha expressed thanks to Japan in general and Aichi prefecture in particular, for their contributions to his city's construction and development process.

He cited the East-West Avenue project, including Thu Thiem tunnel, which uses official development assistance from Japan, as a shining example of successful co-operation between the two countries.

For his part, Ohmura Hideaki said Aichi hoped to further enhance ties with HCM City and with Viet Nam in general.

Aichi had paid attention to investment in Viet Nam and created conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises to seek co-operative opportunities in HCM City, he added.

The Aichi Governor committed to expanding co-operation between the two localities across industrial production, tourism and education. — VNS