The Viet Nam Connect Forum 2023, themed ‘Breakthroughs for central Viet Nam, green and digital transition in sustainable economic growth strategies’, was held in Da Nang on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang speaking at the event

The event was co- organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Viet Nam Economic Times magazine, and the municipal People’s Committee.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang affirmed that sustainable development became an all-encompassing trend in the world, and digital economy, circular economy and green growth are the development models chosen by many countries around the world.

He said Viet Nam is actively implementing the National Strategy on Green Growth in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050 and the National Strategy on Development of the Digital Economy and Digital Society to 2025, with a vision towards 2030.

Notably, Viet Nam has made strong commitments with nearly 150 countries to achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of the 21^st century, and with more than 100 countries to reduce global methane emissions by 2030. The country and 140 countries have joined the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use, 48 countries joined the Global Coal-to-Clean Power Transition Declaration, and 150 countries joined the Adaptation Action Coalition.

In December 2022, Viet Nam, together with G7 countries and a number of international partners, announced the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

In recent years, Viet Nam's digital economy has grown by about 38% on average per year. In 2022, the value of its economy reached around US$23 billion. These results have made Viet Nam the second fastest-growing digital economy in the world, behind India. It is also the fastest-growing e-commerce market in Southeast Asia. According to Google and Temasek, the value of Viet Nam's digital economy could reach US$49 billion by 2025 and US$120-200 billion by 2030.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh speaks at the forum

According to the Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, the Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands are strategically important areas. Therefore, over the past years, the Party and State have issued many guidelines, policies and resolutions for promoting the socio-economic development in the regions. Localities and businesses in the regions have shown great determination, and the initiative and active implementation to ensure sustainable development, green growth and digital transformation.

Mr. Quang hailed localities and businesses in the Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands for issuing strategies and action plans on green growth and digital transformation and seeking eco-friendly development models.

He highlighted the year 2023 had an important meaning in the national argument transformation roadmap with the stated goal of ‘the year of creating and exploiting data to create new values of Viet Nam’.

Therefore, the national government leaders hoped that the forum would focus on discussions about issues related to green transformation and digital technology such as trends, models, and solutions worldwide, and arising issues in cities and provinces of the Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands regions.

The Vietnamese government supports effective cooperation with like-minded countries, international organisations, and business communities at home and abroad in the process of fulfilling sustainable development, green growth, and digital transformation goals, he affirmed.

In his speech at the forum, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh said that Da Nang is currently among top 3 localities in digital transformation and is leading in information security and e-commerce in the whole country.

Da Nang took lead in Digital Transformation Index (DTI) for 2 consecutive years (2020 and 2021), won the Viet Nam Digital Transformation Awards in the category of 'State agency with excellent digital transformation' for 3 consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), and were granted the Viet Nam Smart City Awards for 3 consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022). Last year, the digital economy contributed 17% to the city's GRDP growth.

Chairman Chinh informed that the city has achieved many outstanding results as implementing Resolution No. 05-NQ/TU and the National Digital Transformation Programme to 2025, with orientation to 2030 associated with building a smart city, with 3 pillars: digital government, digital economy, and digital society. It is expected that by 2025, the digital economy will account for more than 20% of the city's GRDP.

Along with digital transformation, the city is also determined to transition to a green economy and respond to the ‘National Strategy on Green Growth for the 2011-2020 period with a vision towards 2050’ by starting to develop a plan on green growth in the locality.

The forum in progress

The city leader remarked in response to the theme of 2023 as 'The year focuses on unleashing resources, attracting investment, maintaining economic growth and ensuring social welfare', Da Nang will deploy models of ‘Comprehensive smart city’, and ‘environmentally friendly and green growth city’. In which, the city will prioritises exploiting and creating specific value from data digital data to mobilise and unlock new resources; and continuing to promote and improve the effectiveness of administrative reforms, thereby contributing to improving service quality and the direction and administration of the government.

Importance will be attached to supporting the effective management of the city and its resources, and integration into the ASEAN smart cities network; as well as promoting the application of technologies of Industry 4.0 in businesses and society towards sustainable green development.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh (2nd, left) attended the discussion session: Promoting green dual transformation and digital technology.

“We hope that the forum will provide an opportunity for localities, including Da Nang, to strengthen connections with domestic and foreign businesses and international organisations through an open dialogue mechanism on opportunities in order to mobilise resources as well as experience at both home and abroad in promoting green and sustainable growth” Chairman Chinh emphasised.

Reporting by T.LAN, V.HOANG - Translating by M.DUNG