In a recent interview granted to the Da Nang Newspaper, Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh (photo) affirmed that the “Da Nang's international integration and cooperation to 2030, with a vision to 2045” project, issued by the municipal People's Committee on December 26, 2023 in Decision No. 2887/QD-UBND, was the basis for the city to promote its proactive adaptation and flexibility in conducting diplomatic activities in accordance with the general guidelines, while raising the level of its international integration and international cooperation activities in accordance with the city’s development vision to 2030.

Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh

The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised the municipal People's Committee to develop and issue the abovementioned project, so what is the importance of the project?

International integration is the correct political policy of the Party and State, which has brought about great benefits to the country in political, economic and social life terms.

Let’s look back at the country's innovation journey, we can realise that the thinking, awareness and policies of our Party and State about international integration have been continuously supplemented, completed and developed in accordance with each stage of the country’s development and renewal journey.

In the context of the country entering the strategic development stage to 2030, the international integration of localities in general and Da Nang in particular is also constantly developing. A comprehensive, long-term plan on international integration and cooperation is very important in both theory and practice for the following basic reasons:

First of all, the plan will create connection and synchronisation between the city's international integration and cooperation activities, and the implementation of the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations. At the same time, it contributes to concretising the major orientations of the national government in accordance with the locality’s situation and development orientation.

Secondly, the plan will help Da Nang improve its ability to proactively adapt to the world and regional situation from now until 2030, which is forecast to have many complex and unpredictable changes. Flexible adaptive capacity based on integrated forecasts of major trends is becoming a top criterion for governance, including governance at local level.

In the third place, the plan will give Da Nang a helping hand to set up its socio-economic development goals between 2023 and 2030 to adapt to major trends in the world, thereby creating a synergy strength by combining internal and external strengths, contributing to strengthening the city's internal strength and enhancing its self-reliance. The period from now to 2030 is also the country's strategic development period, so international integration and cooperation need to closely follow the country’s new context and development directions.

On the other hand, the plan will contribute to improving the city’s capacity to ensure security and national sovereignty of sea and islands in the context of new national security and sovereignty challenges.

Last but not least, the plan will optimise Da Nang's resources for international integration and cooperation activities through connection and assignment of responsibilities between fields targeting a common goal. In addition, great efforts will be made to avoid overlapping responsibilities under general coordination, while still promoting the initiative and creativity of relevant units.

What are international integration and cooperation goals set for Da Nang by 2023 under the project?

The aforementioned project targets to help Da Nang fully tap external and internal resources to promote its growth from now to 2030, as well as exploit the role as a key growth pole to closely connect with provinces and cities in the Central and Central Highlands regions, thereby contributing to the overall stability of national security, the growth of the whole country's economy, and the improvement of the quality of people’s life.

The project creates an overall strategic framework of international integration and cooperation throughout key industries and fields in the city. It is the basis for departments, branches and unions to carry out specific international cooperation activities, directly contributing to the city’s socio-economic development process from now to 2030.

The ceremony of awarding a Memorandum of Understanding on training human resources for semiconductor chip design between the Danang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) and Synopsys International Limited at the “Meet Da Nang 2024”. Photo: V.HOANG

What international integration and cooperation contents does the city determine and what are the specific solutions to implement those contents in the coming time?

The project closely follows the Politburo's Resolution No 43-NQ/TW on developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision toward 2045; Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg dated December 2, 2023, of the Prime Minister approving the planning of Da Nang for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050; and integration orientations of the national and municipal governments.

The “Da Nang's international integration and cooperation to 2030, with a vision to 2045” project identifies 4 main contents and groups of solutions.

There are 5 groups of solutions in term of political, defence and security integration.

In particular, the focus is on raising public awareness and forming social consensus on international integration and cooperation; improving the effectiveness of international integration and cooperation activities; boosting the expansion of a network of integration partners; and strengthening regional connectivity, and promoting the pioneering and leading role of Da Nang to strive to become the international integration and cooperation centre of the Central and Central Highlands regions.

Also, importance is attached to improving the effectiveness of coordination between foreign affairs, security and defence in international integration and cooperation; as well as promoting international integration and cooperation to respond to traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

There are 6 groups of overall solutions for international economic integration: institutional improvement; administrative reform, investment environment improvement; fostering economic links such as regional links and links between localities of Da Nang; effectively implementing international commitments; protecting the legitimate interests of businesses and consumers in economic, trade and investment disputes with foreign partners; and integration in the financial-monetary fields in accordance with the city's development requirements and level, and mobilising financial resources and strengthening the financial-monetary system.

Moreover, the city determines to promote international integration and cooperation in culture, education - training and health aspects. The purpose is to realise its goal of turning itself into one of hubs for culture-sports, education-training, high-quality healthcare and science-technology in the country, and an ecological, modern, smart and worth living city (under the Politburo's Resolution No 43), as well as building the city into a centre for scientific research and human resource training in the central region and making the University of Da Nang a national university (under the Politburo’s Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW dated November 3, 2022).

Greater efforts are made to link cultural integration with economic integration, tourism development and other fields, thereby contributing to creating a spillover effect and enhancing integration efficiency.

Heed is on developing diverse and effective models and methods of cultural diplomacy activities to introduce cultural values of Da Nang and Viet Nam as a whole to the world.

Additionally, the city plans to proactively and actively participate in multilateral and bilateral cooperation frameworks in socio-cultural fields; attract more resources and support from the international community in preserving and promoting tangible and intangible cultural values in the city; and implement the goals of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

The city also lays an emphasis on consulting experts on the ASEAN vocational standards framework, especially vocational standards related to its 5 spearhead economic sectors in order to launch ASEAN-standard human resource training programmes.

Priority is given to developing preferential mechanisms and policies to attract highly qualified workers from abroad to live and work in Da Nang; restructuring education to form a number of world-class educational institutions to participate in the network of prestigious universities in the region and the world; attracting resources at both home and abroad to develop an international standard, high-quality medical system in Da Nang; and encouraging prestigious international hospitals to establish branches in the city.

In the integration content in the field of environment and climate change, it is necessary to develop a master plan for the city to adapt to new standards such as Global Minimum Tax, regulations on appraisal of supply chain sustainability, initiatives on green transformation, emission reduction, and sustainable development.

Besides, the effective implementation of the action plan to respond to climate change for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, in tandem with the active participation in international integration and cooperation in the fields of environment, climate change and green growth, are also top concern of the city.

Thank you for your interview!

Reporting by T.PHUONG, S.TRUNG - Translating by M.DUNG