At an online discussion session on improving the quality of life through digital transformation within the framework of the Asian-Pacific City Summit (APCS 2022) on Wednesday, Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh delivered an important speech sharing orientations and views on investment, construction and development in the city in 2022 and the future.

Da Nang People's CommitteeVice Chairman Ho Ky Minh delivered an important speech at APCS 2022. July 27, 2022. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Vice Chairman Minh emphasized that, over the past 25 years since the city’s recognition as a centrally-governed city, Da Nang has made remarkable progress, gradually affirming its position as a modern urban area and a civilised and livable city in the central region and Viet Nam at large.

The city has proactively set out specific goals and plans in the new situation and period to help itself continue to make more development strides.

In recent years, the city's economy has maintained a good growth rate. People's lives are getting better while foreign relations and international integration have enhance significantly.

Da Nang has gradually become an attractive, safe and friendly destination for domestic and foreign tourists and investors.

Outstandingly, Da Nang has been honoured with many national and international titles and awards such as ‘Asia’s Leading Festival and Events Destination’  at the World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony in 2016 and the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) Smart City Award 2019.

In April 2021, Da Nang was named by the Eden Strategy Institute as one of the 30 cities to have launched unique and creative smart city initiatives.

The above-mentioned achievements have raised the prestige and position of Da Nang in the region, and the world as a whole. 

Specifically, in 2022, the city chose the theme "Year of safe and flexible adaptation to, and effective control of COVID-19, and socio-economic recovery and development”.

The city’s current development perspective is to focus on 3 pillars. They are tourism associated with resort real estate and hosting international events; knowledge economy with 2 spearheads: hi-tech industry associated with creative urban construction, startups and IT, electronics and telecommunications industries associated with building digital government and digital economy; a high-quality service centre with 2 spearheads: seaports and airports associated with logistics services and an international financial centre of regional stature.

In the first half of 2022, Da Nang was one of the Vietnamese localities with a fairly rapid economic recovery, gradually regaining growth momentum.

The city's economy in the 6-month review period grew by 7.23% and the budget revenue reached nearly 70% of the year’s estimates.

Newly registered FDI capital poured into the city increased by 16.3% with the total capital being 3 times higher than that recorded in 2021.

Vice Chairman Minh called on local authorities, international organisations, experts, researchers and the business community to give suggestions and practical solutions to help Da Nang maintain its stature as the leading tourist centre of Viet Nam, towards the goal of being a worthy-visiting and livable city in the region.

It is hoped that Da Nang and regional partners will grasp many new opportunities and new motivations to implement practical and effective cooperation programmes in the time ahead.

APCS 2022 attracts the participation of leaders of 21 cities from 8 countries around the world.

Addressing the online event, Ms Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) called on APCS member cities to actively participate in activities and actions towards a common future and respond to emerging challenges in the region, especially striving to achieve the goals of sustainable development and reducing carbon.

Also, heed must be paid to deploying digital transformation and new technologies to solve environmental problems as well as build smart cities and improve the quality of life.

Japanese digital transformation minister Karen Makishima said that, after COVID-19, the world saw the need to apply digital to solve social problems and had to adjust the global strategy to ensure a better quality of life for people.

Currently, innovation and digital transformation are happening at a fast pace; however, the problem is which solution is optimal and maximizes the advantages brought from digital technology. Therefore, it is high time for cities to create the most basic platform for local governments and communities to apply digital technologies to improve people's quality of life.

The main achievements of the APCS so far include: using the Summit as an opportunity to establish sister city or friendship city relationships with participating cities; establishing a new international institution in the Asian-Pacific region; and exporting new technology to help solve urban issues.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by A.THU