September 21, 2018 marks 45 years since Japan and Vietnam officially established their diplomatic relations. During that process, the Country of the Rising Sun has given to Vietnam in general and Bac Giang in particular good sentiments which are marked by investment works and projects, humanitarian programmes and cultural exchanges.

Businesses work effectively

Compared with other countries and territories with investment projects in Bac Giang province, the number of Japanese enterprises is not very large but they are operating effectively in economic, social and welfare aspects. 

Surteckariya Vietnam Co., Ltd - a Japanese enterprise with effective production and business in Dinh Tram Industrial Zone, Viet Yen district.

At present, Bac Giang is home to 23 investment projects of Japanese enterprises with a total registered capital of 217.12 million USD, mainly in industrial parks and key investment areas such as processing and manufacturing industries, services and trade.

In order to continue attracting capital from Japan and creating favorable conditions for investors to operate in Bac Giang, in 2015, the Chairman of the provincial People's Committee issued a decision to establish the Japanese Investment Promotion and Support Group and promulgate the operational regulations of the group. Based on that, the province has actively called on Japanese enterprises to invest in production and business in the locality.

Works imbued with Vietnam-Japan hallmarks

Site of Cao Loi Primary School in Ninh Son commune (Viet Yen district) funded by Kanaoka Joint Stock Company (Japan).

Thanks to the assistance of the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Bac Giang has received 21 official development assistance (ODA) projects and sub-projects with a total capital of 489.11 billion VND in the fields of transport infrastructure, health, education, irrigation, clean water and environmental sanitation.

Some typical projects include the second phase of the project to develop provincial and regional hospitals worth 130 billion VND, the Rural Transport Project 3 and the Song Khe rest stop. In particular, Japan has brought many projects on education to Bac Giang. 

For example, the Japan-based Asia Education and Friendship Organization (AEFA) has persuaded Kanaoka Joint Stock Company to fund 1.3 billion VND for the building of a site of Cao Loi Primary School in Ninh Son commune (Viet Yen district), which was put into use in November 2017. 

In addition, AEFA has mobilized billions of VND to build and renovate two sites of Ngo Khong school in Chau Minh commune and Lieu Ngan of Hoang Van commune (Hiep Hoa district). Towada-Shi organization has constructed a kindergarten in Thang Cuong commune (Yen Dung district).

Connecting two cultures

Displaying and presenting calligraphy in a Japanese cultural exchange programme in Japan in Bac Giang. Photo: Tien Dat.

Over the past years, Japan has organized many seminars, classes and forums in Bac Giang, opening up opportunities for the two countries to learn about each other's culture. 

Up to now, nearly 40 local officials and civil servants have pursued short-term and long-term programmes hosted by Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has implemented a number of educational cooperation programmes such as renovating teaching methods for teachers of junior high schools (150 teachers at different levels have been trained in Japan and 1,000 others have been trained in the province), with a total cost of about 1 million USD.

Bac Giang now has nearly 1,000 workers and more than 400 students in Japan. In the school year 2018-2019, the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University is cooperating with Hanoi-based Newway Education Development and Cooperation Company in sending students to practice in Japan.

Within the framework of cooperation between the two governments, JICA has sent more than 20 senior volunteers to support the province in the fields of health, education and investment promotion. 

The working style, communication skills and other soft skills of Japanese people have made significant contributions to the locality, creating closeness and increasing mutual understanding between the two countries’ people. 

Bac Giang has received 600 cherry blossoms - the symbol of Japan presented by the Chukyo Friendship Association. The province is also actively stepping up connections, towards establishing a local-level relationship with Gifu prefecture.

With the works, projects and humanitarian programmes, friends from the Land of the Rising Sun have contributed to the development of the province as well as deepening the hallmarks of Vietnam – Japan friendship in the land of Bac Giang.

Thu Phong

Source: Bac Giang Online