Expanding development space, building Hoa Vang District into a satellite urban area, and promoting green economic development are important directions of the Politburo in Conclusion No. 79-KL/TW on building and developing Da Nang.

Da Nang's Hoa Vang District is oriented to become a satellite urban area. IN PHOTO: A section of the west ring road No.2 between its intersection with DT.601 road and southern bypass of the Hai Van Tunnel - Tuy Loan. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Satellite, large tourist urban area

Hoa Vang District has been striving to build and develop to meet the criteria of a fourth grade-urban area and qualify to become a town under Da Nang as soon as possible.

However, according to some experts and managers, there is not much difference between fourth grade-urban area and third grade one, mainly depending on the population size and density.

In fact, Hoa Vang District has mainly agricultural land and scattered rural population density, creating a very favourable condition for the rapid development of new and modern urban areas suitable for new trends and housing models as well as for applying outstanding urban criteria to synchronously develop infrastructure, and attract population, especially from the central area of ​​the city.

Head of the Urban Committee of the municipal People's Council Nguyen Thanh Tien acknowledged that Hoa Vang District had many advantages to become a higher-level urban area such as a third-grade one. This will provide the good opportunities for the locality to develop and act as a satellite for the central area of ​​Da Nang.

The construction of Hoa Vang urban area towards a new model of "a city within a city" will create a further breakthrough in comprehensive development for the suburban district. In particular, forming an urban area with the standards of a city (third-grade urban area or higher) right from the preparation step will help Hoa Vang have an orientation with breakthrough and outstanding urban criteria. And, a new development pole will be formed on the western side of the city, a true satellite city capable of attracting and pulling people away from the city centre which is currently overloaded with population density, Mr. Tien said.

Also according to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tien, some experts also believe that Hoa Vang is an important node in the urban chain to the west and northwest of Da Nang, linked with neighbouring localities and the urban system in the central region.

He, therefore, stressed the need for the city to have stronger mechanisms and policies to accelerate development for Hoa Vang, with a focus on calling on strategic investors to develop synchronous new urban areas, and economic and social infrastructure, and soon forming transit-oriented development (TOD) systems connecting Hoa Vang with the city center.

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, Chairman of Sun Group in the central region underlined a must-do for Hoa Vang District to create a systematic and synchronous urban infrastructure foundation that is both modern and ecological, with distinct values ​​and sustainability. The purpose is to make the district a key satellite urban area which significantly contributes to bringing Da Nang to the international level.

This is an important step for Hoa Vang to improve its appearance, increase competitiveness, appeal for investment, and attract a team of domestic and international experts, successful businessmen, and people to settle and work for a long time, especially in the context that Da Nang will have a breakthrough development, and soon become a world-class worth living city.

Both Da Nang and Hoa Vang District need to promote investment in synchronous and modern transportation and social infrastructure systems to promote tourism, services, traffic development commensurate with the appearance of a new satellite urban area.

“To fully tap its advantages and potential, Da Nang is in need to develop and perfect pillar product groups, including high-end marine tourism; cultural and historical product; MICE tourism; and urban tourism and eco-tourism with forests, mountains, rivers and lakes in the west of the city. Emphasis should be placed on diversifying tourism products to capture tourist trends and increase rich experiences at destinations in a bid to lure more tourists to the city from many different markets. MICE tourism needs to be identified as a key product group, because Da Nang has all the advantages to develop into an international event centre" Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung proposed.

Towards green growth

In recent years, Da Nang has promoted restructuring of the economic sector towards sustainable development, and boosted green economy and circular economy, and marine economy. It has concentrated on developing environmentally friendly industries and services.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh, Director of Sustainable Development of Control and Automation Solutions Company Limited, the city needs to prioritise the development of green services that do not require a large land fund. Especially, greater efforts should be made to build a carbon neutral centre to provide technologies and services to support businesses investing in the central region to meet compliance with emissions balance, carbon neutrality and net-zero requirements.

In addition, Da Nang targets to build a centre for impact investment, green investment and ESG investment to develop impact financial and green finance services in service of the regional international financial centre.

At the same time, heed will be on constructing a green innovation centre to promote research and development of technologies, products, solutions and services related to green economy, circular economy, forest economy and smart agriculture adaptive to climate change.

“With the formation of the abovementioned green growth ecosystem, Da Nang will become a model of green economic development in Viet Nam and the region, and enhance the ability to attract investment, especially impact investment in the central region. This will greatly contribute to protecting environment, improving people's quality of life, creating green jobs and increasing sustainable budget revenue for the locality", Ms. Phuong Linh admitted.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP, THU HA - Translating by M.DUNG