A seminar entitled ‘Da Nang - Towards a Smart Financial City’ recently took place in Zurich, Switzerland.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh speaking at the seminar

The event was co-organised by the Da Nang People's Committee, the Swiss-Vietnamese Business Gateway (SVBG), and the Swiss Finance + Technology Association (SFTA).

It saw the participation of Viet Nam's Trade Counsellor in Switzerland Nguyen Duc Thuong, Chairman of SFTA Philip Weights, and delegates and experts from organisations, businesses, universities operating in the fields of banking, Fintech, virtual currency, high technology, and digital technology startups, law and investment advice in the German-speaking region of Switzerland.

Speaking at the seminar, Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh introduced to the attendees the city’s potential, advantages and development orientation. Accordingly, the city has concentrated on developing 3 pillars: tourism associated with resort real estate; knowledge economy with the spearheads of high-tech industry associated with creative urban construction, and start-up; and a high-quality service centre with two spearheads of seaports and airports associated with logistics services and a regional international financial centre.

He highlighted that the seminar was an opportunity for the city to share its business environment and investment attraction policies to Swiss organisations, businesses and investors, as well as collect constructive ideas about the forming of an international financial centre and promoting the development of hi-tech industries in particular and the city in general in the coming time.

The seminar in progress

On behalf of the Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland, Trade Counsellor Nguyen Duc Thuong expressed his pleasure and affirmed that the seminar will open up a potential cooperation opportunity between Switzerland and Da Nang - one of the most dynamic economic centres of Viet Nam and the whole Southeast Asia region,.

During the seminar, delegates discussed the model, mechanism and policy for establishing the Da Nang International Financial Centre, the regulatory framework for Fintech and digital currency development, and the investment attraction environment and policies of Da Nang and Viet Nam as a whole.

They proposed the municipal government to strongly improve the investment environment and legal support for foreign businesses, meeting the needs of many Swiss enterprises.

Delegates at the seminar posing for souvenir photos

In his closing speech at the seminar, Vice Chairman Minh highly appreciated and thanked the comments made by the delegates and emphasised that Da Nang is one of the localities selected to build an international financial centre.

The city leader was also committed to creating favourable conditions for Swiss organisations, businesses and investors to effectively implement investment and business projects in Da Nang.

Reporting by GIA MINH - Translating by M.DUNG