(VNF) - About 7,000 sakura (cherry blossom) branches transported from Japan by air and a number of Vietnamese flowers will be put on display in downtown Hai Phong as part of the Japanese cultural exchange in the northern coastal city to be held from March 23^rd-25^th.

Illustrative image. (Source: Internet)

The Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange event and the cherry blossom exhibition is held to celebrate the 45^th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (1973-2018), said Deputy Director of Hai Phong Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi Hoang Mai at a press conference on Tuesday (March 20^th).

Along with the exhibition, a seminar to promote tourism and business investment co-operation between Hai Phong and its Japanese partners will take place on Saturday.

Deputy Director of Hai Phong City’s Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Centre Pham Hung Hung said these events aims to effectively implement the city’s cultural diplomacy, strengthen mutual understanding between the two countries’ people, and boost bilateral cooperation in investment and tourism.

He called for Japanese investment in the fields of high tech agriculture development, health care, education and environmental protection. He also welcomed the introduction of Japanese culture and people to Vietnam.

Children help plant the Japanese cherry trees in Hanoi’s Hoa Binh Park last week. (VNA/VNS Photo Xuan Truong)

500 JAPANESE CHERRY TREES PLANTED IN HANOI

Last week, about 500 cherry blossom trees were planted at the Hoa Binh Park in Hanoi.

The event, which was attended by Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda and Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, was held by the AEON Environmental Foundation as Japan’s response to a city project to plant 1 million green trees in the capital.

The trees, selected from the variety grown in Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture, which has a similar climate to Hanoi, are growing well and expected to blossom in the future.

Ambassador Kunio Umeda said the planting of cherry blossom trees in Hanoi is also meant to contribute to environmental protection.

He said hoped the trees will Hoa Binh Park an ideal place for Hanoians to relax and enjoy cherry blossoms.

Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung and delegates plant the Japanese cherry trees in Hanoi’s Hoa Binh Park last week. (Photo: Internet)

Chairman of the AEON Environmental Foundation Takuya Okada said since 2014, the foundation has grown nearly 100,000 trees in Hanoi and the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

He added that the foundation planted 200 cherry blossom trees at Hoa Binh Park last year.

Chairman Chung said last year’s cherry blossom trees are growing well, symbolising the continuous development of the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan as well as between Hanoi and AEON Group.

He hoped the event will help raise public awareness of the need to protect the environment. More than 200 Vietnamese and Japanese volunteers joined hands to plant the cherry trees./.

VNF