Da Nang must make greater efforts to justify its position as a key economic hub in the central region and Highlands, and strive to be on a par with Singapore and Hong Kong in the near future.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addressing the meeting

This statement was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his working session in Ha Noi on Wednesday with some of the Da Nang leaders.

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho remarked that, since the start of this year, his city has seen many positive changes in its socio-economic status.  The local security and defence have been secured, and the high level of consensus amongst local residents has been maintained. 

Municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Xuan Anh affirmed that Da Nang is proud to be one of the 13 Vietnamese localities to have paid a large proportion of their collected revenues to the national government’s budget, whilst the remaining 50 localities nationwide asked for supplementary allocations from the national budget.

Secretary Anh said that he would like the national government to issue special mechanisms concerning investment, finance, budgetary status and decentralisation for the city in order to help Da Nang become the most important driving force for boosting the whole central region’s progress. 

Prime Minister Phuc and some of Da Nang’s key leaders

In reply, Prime Minister Phuc highly praised Da Nang for its remarkable achievements in its progress over recent years.  He said he is deeply impressed with the city’s position as one of the country’s leading localities for Viet Nam’s Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index, Provincial Competitiveness Index, the Information and Communication Technology Index, and the Provincial Public Administration Reform Index.  He also spoke highly of the city’s campaigns such as the ‘5 No’s, 3 Yes’s’ and ‘Building Da Nang into a Liveable City’.  Given the city’s great efforts, the Prime Minister agreed about the release of special mechanisms for Da Nang to facilitate it to make even more breakthroughs in its development in future years.

Prime Minister Phuc stressed the need for Da Nang to develop in the future into a smart, competitive and innovative city with advanced science and technology.  To realise this goal, the city authorities should gain more valuable experience from countries and territories worldwide which have recorded outstanding development achievements over recent years in order to develop Da Nang into a miniature version of Singapore or Hong Kong in Viet Nam.   In particular, the local urban planning work should be further promoted, especially as its population is expected to reach over 4 million in the future.

The national government leader also agreed with a proposal to release preferential mechanisms for the Da Nang Hi-tech Park.  In particular, he directed relevant government ministries and departments to advise the national government about allowing Da Nang to use a higher proportion of its annual tax revenues, instead of the current 30%, to further its growth over the 2017 - 2020 period.  The proposals on this issue will then be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

Prime Minister Phuc also gave the green light to the implementation of international and inter-provincial traffic projects in Da Nang, as well as the construction of the Lien Chieu Port and a new anchorage area for fishing boats to seek safe shelter from storms at the Tho Quang fishing wharf.