Enterprises from the southern province of Dong Nai and Japan were given a chance to meet and seek co-operation opportunities at a conference in Tokyo on September 7.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and Dong Nai province People’s Committee with the aim of promoting export-import activities between the two countries.

Speaking before representatives from 20 Vietnamese firms and over 50 Japanese enterprises, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Vinh highlighted the province’s advantages in terms of natural, economic and social conditions.

He stressed that Dong Nai, with stable and high economic growth at an average 13 per cent per year, is one of the leading industrial localities in Viet Nam.

According to Vinh, the province accounted for 9-10 per cent of the nation’s export revenues with key staples like garments, footwear, coffee, rubber, cashew and pepper.

Japan is the second largest trade partner of Dong Nai, importing US$1.58 billion worth of products from the province in 2016 while the province splashed out $1.3 billion buying Japanese goods the same year.

The official stressed that there is large room for Dong Nai to enhance trade relations with Japanese businesses, and the province commits to creating favourable conditions for enterprises for mutual benefits.

Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan Nguyen Truong Son affirmed that Viet Nam and Japan are enjoying sound relations, facilitating bilateral trade relations.

Meanwhile, Dong Nai is in the development triangle of HCM City-Binh Duong-Dong Nai, which is Viet Nam’s most dynamic economic region. Thanks to efforts to renovate administrative procedures and good business climate, Dong Nai has been a bright spot in foreign investment attraction. Many Japanese enterprises have made success doing business in Dong Nai, he added.

Ta Duc Minh, Trade counseller of Viet Nam in Japan, said that bilateral trade relations have been promoted in the past years and Japan has become Viet Nam’s fourth largest trade partner. The conference will strengthen trade between the two countries in general and Dong Nai and Japan in particular. — VNS