Speaking at the ceremony, the Vietnamese diplomat stated that the honour recognises Hanazumi’s efforts in promoting cooperation between Niigata and localities of Vietnam.
He highlighted the fruitful and comprehensive development of the bilateral relations over the last 50 years, affirming that the exchange and cooperation between localities is a bright spot, and continues to be a pillar of the relationship between the two countries in the next five decades.
The relationships between Niigata and Vietnamese localities, including Vinh Long, Thanh Hoa, and Can Tho, has become a model for local cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, Hieu said, expressing the hope that Hanazumi will continue to pay attention to promoting the relationships, making them more substantive and effective in the future.
For his part, Hanazumi showed his honour to receive the certificate of merit from the Prime Minister of Vietnam, affirming that the recognition is an encouragement and a motivation for him to continue his efforts in fostering exchange and cooperation with Vietnamese localities, thus deepening the relations between the two nations.
Niigata looks to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese localities in terms of trade, human resources, tourism, and agriculture, he stressed, expressing his desire to receive more Vietnamese interns.
There are around 4,500 Vietnamese living and working in Niigata, he said, adding that they become an essential part of the prefecture's socio-economic development.
