A talk entitled ‘Opportunities for Economic Cooperation between Da Nang and the United Kingdom’ took place in Da Nang last Friday.

The event was jointly organised by the municipal People’s Committee (PC), the British Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, the British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV), and the British Investment-Trade Agency in Viet Nam.

Addressing the event, Mr Doan Ngoc Hung Anh, Deputy Head of the Management Board of the city’s Hi-tech Industrial Park, remarked “Da Nang is paying top priority to appealing for FDI inflows into such aspects as biotechnology, microelectronics, automation, precision engineering, information technology (IT), petrochemicals and new energy.  The local authorities have already issued numerous incentive policies for foreign investors on land lease prices and corporate income tax.”

The signing ceremony between representatives from BBGV and the Management Board of the Da Nang Hi-tech Industrial Park (Source: danang.gov.vn)

Mr Anh emphasised that British businesses are welcome to invest in such local projects as an international-standard commercial centre, hospital and university, as well as solid and industrial waste treatment.

Some representatives from the United Kingdom showed a keen interest in some local aspects including cargo transportation, the build of the new Lien Chieu Port, vacation services for elderly people, education and healthcare services.

Also at the event, representatives from the Management Board of the Da Nang Hi-tech Industrial Park and the BBGV entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation.

British businesses have so far invested around 1.6 million USD in Da Nang on 9 projects covering English training, IT, consultancy, and import-export activities.

The following day, Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Lam Quang Minh, under the authorisation of the Da Nang PC Chairman, and the Minister for Investment and Trade in South Australia, Mr Martin Hamilton Smith, signed an MoU on boosting bilateral educational cooperation in universities, senior high schools, and vocational training schools.

Under the agreement, Da Nang and South Australian will exchange their curricula, teachers and students.  In addition, numerous specialised workshops will be organised.   

The signing ceremony between Minister Smith (left) and Director Minh (right)

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Smith proudly stated “South Australia boasts an advanced educational system, and its universities rank in the world’s top 200 universities.  I hope that the bilateral cooperative programmes with Da Nang will be brought to fruition.”

On behalf of the city authorities, Director Minh said he hoped that the bilateral cooperation with South Australia would bring mutual benefits and be deepened in the years ahead.

On the same day, an English speaking contest for senior high school pupils was held in Da Nang. 

The event was co-organised by the city’s High-quality Human Resources Development Centre, the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the South Australia-based Study Adelaide organisation.  It aimed to help local pupils understand more about the people and culture of South Australia through stories and presentations by contestants.

Ngo Hoang Lan Khanh, a Year 11 pupil from the Le Quy Don Senior High School for Gifted Students, won the first prize of a one-week trip to Adelaide City.  Meanwhile, the second and third prizes respectively went to Vo Tieu My from Phan Chau Trinh School and Nguyen Thi Doan Thanh from Hoang Hoa Tham School.