As part of their working visit to the UK, a group of Da Nang’s leaders, led by municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Vo Cong Tri, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK, Mr Nguyen Van Thao.

Deputy Secretary Tri thanked Ambassador Thao for his great efforts to assist his city to participate in the ongoing 2015 - 2016 Clipper Round the World Race.  He took the opportunity to ask the Vietnamese diplomat to continue his efforts to help his city successfully organise its tourism promotion programme in the UK next June, as well as to appeal for more British businesses to invest in Da Nang.

(Photo: danang.gov.vn)

The municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman, Mr Dang Viet Dung, asked Ambassador Thao to do his utmost to expedite the establishment of the UK-Viet Nam University in the city as soon as possible and the opening of Da Nang-London direct flights in the near future.

In reply, Ambassador Thao said that British universities will provide English teachers and training programmes for Da Nang as part of a bilateral educational cooperation with the city.  He suggested that a vocational training centre, which would be the largest of its kind in the central region, should be set up in the city.

He also agreed to discuss with Vietnam Airlines a new air route between Da Nang and London in order to attract more visitors and investors from the UK to Da Nang.

During his meeting on Wednesday with the Da Nang delegation, the Chief Executive Officer of the Clipper Venture - the organisers of the Clipper Race - Mr William Ward, said that he had been very impressed by Da Nang’s beautiful natural landscapes and its rich and diverse cuisine whilst he was on a visit to the city to survey the preparations for receiving the race teams.

He added that, throughout the race, Da Nang will have the opportunity to connect with British investors and travel agencies to promote the city’s tourism and appeal for FDI inflows into the locality.  He pledged that his company will work closely with the city’s relevant agencies to develop detailed plans for welcoming the Clipper Race fleet to Da Nang in mid-February 2016.