Coming from different countries, their work and love for Da Nang, a beautiful city with the iconic Han River in Central Viet Nam, have profoundly inspired many foreigners to make positive contributions to the city’s foreign affairs achievements and its multi-facetted development over the past years.

Young people enjoy taking beautiful photos at an artistic light space held on the sidewalk area along the western bank of the Han River in celebration for the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Viet Nam and Japan. Photo: ST

It is a worth-praising fact that promoting foreign affairs, exchanges and cooperation with international friends has always played an extremely important role in the great cause of building and protecting the Fatherland.

1. Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang, the Consul General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Da Nang, has exerted great efforts in promoting the long-standing friendship, special solidarity and ever-deepening cooperation between Viet Nam and close neighbour Laos.

In his job position, through highly practical and cooperative activities, Mr. Souphanh has made many positive contributions to the city’s socio-economic development. Notable among them was the effective implementation of the cooperation programme between Da Nang and the southern and central provinces of Laos for the 2023 - 2027 period under which Da Nang signed a memorandum of understanding on friendly cooperation with Savannakhet, Champasak, Sekong, Salavan and Attapeu in Laos.

Also, he has actively participated in cooperation programmes between Da Nang and international organisations based in the city.

Over the past many years, the coordination in human resource training between Laos and Da Nang has achieved many positive results, emerging as a bright spot in the cooperative relationship between Viet Nam and Laos.Mr. Souphanh has made many positive contributions in this field.

Notably, the ‘Homestay programme 2023’, which provided Lao students studying in Da Nang with real experiences by staying with local families, has helped them well integrate into the host society, enhance their Vietnamese language skills and receive support during their study in the city.

As a positive sign, the number of Lao students and trainees studying at training establishments across Da Nang has climbed up, and currently, there are 368 Lao nationals studying at Da Nang universities.

The city has, for many years, effectively maintained the granting of about 100-120 scholarships/year to students from the Laotian provinces of Champasak, Sekong, Savannakhet, Saravan, Khammouan, Borikhamxay and the National University of Laos.

Educational and research cooperation projects and programmes have been implemented in a synchronized manner at many universities and training facilities in Viet Nam and Laos. Thanks to those ceaseless efforts, not only does human resource training between Laos and Da Nang help to improve the professional qualifications of students but it also strengthens the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

2. When it comes to foreign individuals who have made positive contributions to Da Nang’s socio-economic development in recent times, it is impossible not to mention Mr. Hirayama Keiji, the General Director of Hasegawa Viet Nam Co., Ltd. In Quang Nam Province, cum Head of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Da Nang (JCCID).

Following the time-honoured tradition of strengthening links, connections and exchanges among the Japanese business community in Da Nang, Mr. Hirayama Keiji, and JCCID as a whole, has promote the cooperative relationship between Da Nang and Japan in an increasingly practical and effective manner.

Especially, in 2023, commemorating the 50^th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relationship between Viet Nam and Japan, JCCID, and Mr. Hirayama Keiji in particular, has enthusiastically accompanied and sponsored major activities within the framework of the Viet Nam - Japan Festival in Da Nang.

Included were the Vietnamese - Japanese rock music night, the Japanese martial arts performance, the Vietnamese - Japanese artistic light space on the sidewalk area on the western bank of the Han River, all of which left a deep impression on local residents and tourists.

Also, JCCID has supported other organisations such as the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations and the Da Nang University of Foreign Language Study to organise many highly meaningful activities such as organising a Japanese speech contest, planting friendship trees and drawing paintings honouring Japan.

Mr. Hirayama said that, besides work, Da Nang also makes businessmen like him highly satisfied thanks to its friendly people, security ensured well, and an increasinglyenhanced business and investment environment.

Reporting by KHANH HOA - Translating by A.THU, P.TRA