(VOV) - Considering Japanese investors as strategic partners, the central province of Thanh Hoa is urging them to focus on petro-chemistry, electronics, telecommunications and infrastructure areas.
The request was made by Trinh Van Chien, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee at a seminar held in Tokyo, Japan on May 15.
In 2011, Chairman Chien said Thanh Hoa was placed 24 th among 64 cities and provinces in Vietnam.
It now tops the list of Vietnamese localities that have attracted most foreign direct investment (FDI), with 42 projects worth US$7.2 billion, of which US$6.84 billion or 96.7 percent comes from Japan.
Ho Minh Tuan, a representative of the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan emphasized that despite suffering heavily from its earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and the impact of the financial crisis in Europe, Japan has still maintained its official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.
In 2011, Japan was Vietnam’s leading foreign investor with a registered capital of US$22 billion and its second largest trade partner with two-way trade turnover reaching US$21 billion.
Tuan expressed hope that the seminar will help Japanese investors seek new opportunities in Thanh Hoa province.
Apart from the Tokyo seminar, Thanh Hoa province will hold another investment promotion meeting in Osaka on May 18.