A delegation of Ichinoseki city, located in Japan’s Iwate prefecture, led by Mayor Yoshihito Sato paid a working visit to Hoa Binh city of Hoa Binh province on January 18 to discuss bilateral cooperation. They were welcomed by Nguyen Van Thang, member of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board and Secretary of the Party Committee of Hoa Binh city, along with officials of some local departments and sectors.
Leaders of the administrations of Ichinoseki and Hoa Binh cities sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation.
Addressing the meeting, Secretary of the Hoa Binh municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Thang said with many similarities between the two sides, he hopes his city will have long-term cooperation with Ichinoseki in order to attract more investment to local industrial parks and clusters, and develop urban areas, tourism, culture, sports, health care, waste treatment, agriculture, and rural areas.
Mayor Yoshihito highly valued the socio-economic development of Hoa Binh city. He said many Japanese enterprises have come to invest here, and thanks to support from the city’s authorities, they have operated effectively, thus substantially contributing to Hoa Binh province’s budget and creating jobs for many local residents.
At the event, the two sides introduced their respective cities’ potential, strength, environmental landscapes, and cultural traditions. They discussed and agreed on the cooperation in training and labour export. They also proposed exchanges and programmes be held to share experience in the management of educational institutions, enhance cultural links, develop tourism, attract investment, and train health workers.
After that, the administrations of Ichinoseki and Hoa Binh cities signed a memorandum on cooperation under which they will promote investment attraction to local industrial parks and clusters. They will share management experience in the fields of urban development, tourism, culture, sports, health, science - technology, clean industries, waste treatment, and environmental protection. The two cities will also reinforce ties in human resources development in line with relevant legal regulations of Vietnam and Japan. In addition, they will step up the sending and reception of Vietnamese technicians, engineers, trainees, skilled workers, and vocational students in the areas matching both sides’ interest.
Besides, the cities will consider pushing ahead with the collaboration in agriculture and rural development, especially sharing agricultural production and processing techniques, and foster friendship, people-to-people ties, and cultural exchanges.
Dao Village’s honey – a product certified with a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating by Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative in Dao Village (Hoa Binh City) – is highly regarded by consumers for its quality, richness, and variety in packaging. The distinctively sweet taste of Dao Village’s honey leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
In alignment with Project No. 07-DA/TU, issued by the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee on November 1, 2021, Lac Thuy district has actively promoted investment and supported the sustainable development of its industrial and handicraft sectors during the 2021–2025 period. Alongside this, the district has remained committed to preserving and revitalising traditional craft villages.
Located in the northern part of Lac Thuy district, with a temperate climate and fertile soil, Phu Thanh commune has great potential and advantages in growing tea. The long-standing experience, combined with strict adherence to organic farming practices in the tea gardens, ensures that the dried tea products from Phu Thanh and Lac Thuy as a whole are sold out immediately upon production, providing a stable and prosperous life for the local people.
Amid efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus, Hoa Binh province has intensified measures to address challenges in land clearance, resettlement support, and infrastructure investment, aiming to speed up the progress of key projects.
Hoa Binh province has posted an unprecedented economic growth rate of 12.76% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its highest quarterly performance to date and positioning it as the second fastest-growing locality in the country, trailing only Bac Giang province.
Under current regulations, products in the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme that are rated three stars or higher must undergo re-evaluation every three months. However, in reality, some of these products fail to consistently meet the required standards, raising concerns about the sustainability of their OCOP certification. This underscores the urgent need for producers to enhance product quality and gradually develop their OCOP products into strong, marketable brands.
