The Vietnamese government has recently approved the expansion of the Da Nang Software Park, now called Da Nang Software Park No. 2 which spans an area of 28,573 square meters in Thuan Phuoc Ward, Hai Chau District. This is the legal basis for putting the infrastructure at the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 into operation soon.

The Da Nang Software Park No. 2 with a total land area of ​​28,573m2 in Thuan Phuoc Ward, Hai Chau District. Photo: M.Q

Expanding space for IT development

Currently, Da Nang has three concentrated information technology (IT) parks that have been recognised by the Vietnamese government. Specifically, the Da Nang Software Park was recognised in 2017, the first phase of the Da Nang Concentrated IT Park located in Hoa Lien Commune, Hoa Vang District in 2020, and the FPT Complex in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District in 2023.

Put into use in October 2008, the VND 161 billion Da Nang Software Park has an area of ​​10,885m² with an occupancy rate of 99%. Recent years have witnessed an increasing demand for IT infrastructure among enterprises, so it is urgent to have an expanded infrastructure of the Da Nang Software Park.

Work started on the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 in October 2020, and the construction of infrastructure at the park was basically completed in 2022.

The Software Park No. 2 project features a 20-storey ICT Office building, and two ICT1 and ICT 2 office buildings with 8 storeys each, along with a system of yards, internal traffic roads, green landscape, and drainage and lighting systems. The project has a total investment of more than VND 900 billion.

However, the project has not yet come into operation because the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 is a public asset managed by the State, while the central government has not yet issued regulations on assets as public infrastructure in the field of information technology.

After several working sessions and proposals, on February 1, 2024, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 09/2024/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree 144/2016/ND-CP dated November 1, 2016 stipulating a number of specific mechanisms on investment, finance, budget and decentralisation of management for Da Nang.

Accordingly, Article 9a on investment, management and exploitation of information infrastructure assets is the Da Nang Software Park.

The municipal People's Council is entitled to consider and decide on investment, upgrading, expansion and development of information infrastructure assets for the the Da Nang Software Park. The State management agency is the municipal People's Committee. Thus, Decree No. 09/2024/ND-CP has defined a specific and clear mechanism for assets formed after investment as information infrastructure assets and detailed regulations on management, use and exploitation of information infrastructure assets invested and managed by the State.

IT employees working at the Jobkey JSC. Photo: C.T

Expected to be put into operation soon

In response to the abovementioned information, Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai, Director of the Avoca AI JSC, hopes that the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 will soon be put into operation so that businesses can access it in the form of a shared workspace.

In addition, businesses want the municipal authorities to support the cost of renting space at the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 so that many businesses can access it, together creating an IT and innovative startup ecosystem.

Similarly, Mr. Ta Quoc Khanh, Director of the Jobkey JSC, regularly updates activities related to the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 in order to look for opportunities to cooperate and coordinate with other businesses, thereby promoting business in the field of job search.

Mr. Pham Kim Son, Chairman of the Da Nang Software Business Association, highlighted the necessity of putting the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 into operation soon in creating a stable working environment for small and medium-sized enterprises in the city.

Mr. Son suggested the city give active support and issue more incentive policies to attract more tech enterprises to work here.

When coming into operation, the Da Nang Software Park at 2 and 15 Quang Trung had completed infrastructure such as air conditioning, lighting and network, so enterprises do not need to invest much. Therefore, the city can consider a mechanism to be flexible in applying rental prices for enterprises at the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 so that enterprises have resources to invest in additional facilities when setting up offices here.

In recent times, the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications has received many requests from domestic and foreign enterprises to expand the software development space as well as issue related policies to support digital transformation and develop creative space at the Da Nang Software Park No. 2.

With the Government's issuance of Decision No. 1238/QD-TTg, the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 has been recognised by the Vietnamese government as an information infrastructure. This decision serves as the legal basis for putting the infrastructure at the Da Nang Software Park No. 2 into operation in the coming time, while helping the city implement specific mechanisms of Resolution 136/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly on the organisation of urban government and the piloting of a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of the city on information infrastructure.

Reporting by M.QUE, C.THANG - Translating by M.DUNG