Vietnam woos 'silver power'
Source: 29-MAR-2008 Intellasia | Asahi
Mar 29, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM Vietnam's visiting deputy prime minister said Wednesday his country has much to learn from Japanese retirees about engineering technologies and other skills.

"I want those who have retired from universities and companies in Japan to go to Vietnam and share their valuable knowledge and experience there," Nguyen Thien Nhan said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun in Tokyo.

Nguyen, 54, who doubles as the minister of education and training, also said that Vietnam aspires to develop its technological prowess.

"In the future, we want to develop robots by ourselves," he added.

Nguyen, who studied in the former East Germany and the United States, is regarded as one of Vietnam's next-generation leaders.

On Tuesday, he signed an agreement under which 1,000 or so young Vietnamese people would come to Japan to attend graduate schools so they can earn doctorates.

"When the 1,000 'Vietnamese ambassadors to Japan' return to Vietnam in the future, their families will think about Japan every day," Nguyen said.

His comments brought into sharp relief Vietnam's hopes of promoting friendly relations with Japan.