To date, Da Nang has established friendly relations, and effectively implemented many cooperation programmes, with South Korean localities. On that foundation, Hai Chau District in Da Nang and Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, have increasingly boosted their bilateral cooperation in culture, education and economy.

A group of junior high school pupils in Da Nang’s Hai Chau District took part in cultural exchange activities in Uiwang City, South Korea, in October 2023. Photo courtesy of Hai Chau District People's Committee

Connecting culture and promoting people-to-people diplomacy

Chairman of Hai Chau District People's Committee Le Tu Gia Thanh said that in July 2021, the district signed online a minute of agreement with Uiwang City, marking its first milestone in setting up a cooperative relationship with a foreign city with the aim to expand development space and find new motivation for its economic growth.

Accordingly, Hai Chau District actively coordinated with Uiwang City to organize many meaningful cooperation and exchange activities. Notable among them was the cultural exchange programme for the district’s junior high school pupils in Uiwang City in October 2023.

Director of the Hai Chau District Culture and Sports Center Tran Van Manh said that during their stay in South Korea, local pupils had the opportunities to explore cuisine, traditional rituals and music, and visit historical and tourist sites. At the same time, they experienced daily life with South Korean families in Uiwang City through homestay programme.

Similarly, Hai Chau District recently welcomed a group of pupils from Uiwang City. Accordingly, South Korean children were taken to visit tourist attractions and historical relics on the "Central Heritage Road" tour; as well as experienced the educational environment, culture, and daily life with Vietnamese families in Hai Chau District.

According to Mr. Tran Van Manh, in order to foster the in-depth cultural cooperation between the two sides, the centre will make suggestions to the district authorities to organise the Viet Nam - Korean Festival at the APEC Park or at the Bach Dang walking street. Also, a sports delegation of Da Nang pupils will be sent to the South Korean locality to exchange competition experiences in such sports as football, taekwondo and golf.

The purpose of the abovementioned events is to create the opportunities for pupils in the localities to learn about the people, image and culture of each side in a natural and intimate way.

Boosting economic development

According to Mr. Le Tu Gia Thanh, immediately after COVID-19 was brought under control, leaders of Uiwang City paid an official visit to Hai Chau District in November 2022.

During the meeting, the two sides signed two minutes of cooperation in the fields of education and economics. Specifically, in the economic field, the two sides agreed to actively exchange and promote trade and investment, and create conditions for businesses and companies in the two localities to participate in investment forums and trade fairs to attract investment and economic development.

At the invitation of the Mayor of Uiwang City, a group of Hai Chau District’s officials had a business trip to Uiwang City on May 5 - 6, 2024.

At the Uiwang Railway Festival, the delegation participated in the promotion of OCOP (One Commune - One Product) items of this urban district, and Da Nang as a whole, to South Korean visitors, including Ba Lieu 'banh kho me' (dried sesame seed cakes), Topcoco baked toasted coconut cake, MaYaCa clean coffee, and Nui Son Cordyceps.

On May 22 and 23, Hai Chau District People's Committee organized an exchange of experiences on tax work between Hai Chau District’s Tax Bureau, Phuoc Ninh Ward People's Committee and the Uiwang City Tax Collection and Management Department.

The two sides actively introduced the organizational structure of the unit, as well as discussed the tax collection situation, tax management mechanisms and policies, and tax debt recovery solutions to ensure budget revenue sources in each locality.

To mark the achievements of cooperation between the two localities, Hai Chau District inaugurated the symbolic statue of logos of Hai Chau District and Uiwang City at the Nam Duong Park in the namesake ward.

This was a mark of affection and cohesion during the cooperation process between the two localities, greatly contributing to promoting the image and people of Uiwang City to the people of Hai Chau District in particular and Da Nang in general.

In 2025, the two sides will sign an agreement to build a comprehensive cooperative relationship. The district-level People's Committee will proactively and actively exchange and coordinates with Uiwang City to implement many exchange and cooperation activities in different fields. This will create resources for socio-economic development, and promote tourism, thereby contributing to tightening cooperation and friendship between Da Nang and Korean localities and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and South Korea.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG, P.TRA