“Building Da Nang city into a big, smart, liveable, coastal eco-city cum a startup and innovation hub in Asia under the Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 adopted by the Politburo on building and developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045”.

Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers his instructions at a seminar themed ‘Da Nang’s 25-year journey: Achievements and prospects’, December 28, 2021. Photo: NGOC PHU

The instruction was delivered by Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a seminar themed ‘Da Nang’s 25-year journey: Achievements and prospects’ held on Tuesday to celebrate 25 years since the city’s recognition as a centrally-governed city on 1 January 1997.

Da Nang has inspired many central localities to overcome difficulties

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, State President Phuc highly appreciated and congratulated many great and relatively comprehensive achievements in all fields that Da Nang has recorded over the past 25 years, adding that all of them have inspired many other localities to overcome difficulties and challenges.

In reality, starting from a small town with poor infrastructure and a shortage of economic motivation, Da Nang has made highly-remarkable socio-economic development strides with defence and security firmly secured, becoming an attractive and fast-urbanising city in Viet Nam and in the Asia-Pacific region at large as well.

In particular, over the past time, the city has taken good and drastic ways to effectively contain the COVID-19 surge with a focus on minimising deaths due to this highly contagious disease, and more attention to ensuring social welfare for the people during the tough times, and all of measures and approaches have been highly appreciated by the national government.

It is also worth praising that, despite COVID-19’s negative impacts, the city's economy still grew encouragingly as its budget revenue exceeded the estimate by about 4%.

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (third, right) presents souvenirs to Da Nang. Photo: NGOC PHU

Turning Da Nang into a big, ecological, smart city

State President Phuc underlined a must-do for Da Nang to develop itself into a big, smart eco-city, a startup and innovation hub, and a livable coastal city in Asia. Along with Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang must be the driver of the country's economic growth, and emerge as a symbol and pride of Viet Nam's rising to overcome difficulties and obstacles to obtain success.

“Da Nang must boldly compete with major cities of the Asia-Pacific region, which will be a motivation for it to become a city of international stature,” State President Phuc said.

The key to the city's success lay in its ability to awaken human potential, especially human resources with competent foreign language and technology skills meeting requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Education and training are the most powerful tools for the city to develop in the era of digital technology and innovation.

It is necessary to build the city into an urban area without poor people, he added.

It is also a need for Da Nang to gear up rapid yet sustainable development, protect nature and the environment with a heed to properly preserving the Son Tra Peninsula and Ba Na site.

Da Nang must become a city “worth living, worth investing in and worth experiencing”. The city should continue to promote the image of a safe, interesting and hospitable destination in the eye of tourists near and far.

The city was asked to strongly develop the digital economy and digital city in which digital transformation was considered the driving force for breakthroughs.

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and key Da Nang leaders visit an exhibition highlighting Da Nang’s achievements recorded over the past 25 years. Photo: NGOC PHU

Enhacing economic competitiveness and cooperation

State President Phuc proposed Da Nang to strengthen its economic strength, diversity, competitiveness and international cooperation, increase economic scale and raise people's income.

It is high time for the city to upgrade its infrastructure, strengthen its scientific and technological potential and catch up with the development trends in the burgeoning 4.0 Industry, promote the development of the financial system, increase the efficiency of capital allocation and public administration capacity and enhance leadership capacity and professional skills of cadres and civil servants.

The national high-ranking official hoped that Da Nang will develop into one of the major socio-economic centres in Viet Nam, the ‘nucleus’ of the urban chain and the growth pole in the key economic zone in Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands regions

Reporting by NGOC PHU, LAM PHUONG- Translating by A. THU