At an online meeting on Friday with Mr. Nagafuji Hideki, the Mayor of Sakai City in Japan, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh affirmed his city’s stance appealing for more resources from Japanese partners and businesses to develop its industries, infrastructure investment, trade and tourism.

Mayor of Sakai City, Nagafuji Hideki (left) and Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) greet each other and co-chair an online meeting between the two localities. Photo: KHANG NINH

According to Chairman Chinh, Da Nang wishes to raise the level of local political relationships with local Japanese partners in line with the trend of better bilateral ties between the two countries.

Da Nang is, for the time being, attaching importance to promoting cultural exchange activities, including the organisation of the annual Viet Nam - Japan Festival.

In addition, Da Nang is actively calling for cooperation and investment from Sakai, and Japan as a whole, in the fields of education - training, science - technology, innovation and startups.

In particular, Da Nang would like learn more about the models of urban government, seaport management, sustainable development and other fields.

At the virtual meeting, Chairman Chinh and Mayor Nagafuji Hideki shared about the development goals of the two cities.

Specifically, Da Nang is focusing on the adjustment to the existing urban structure and the enhancement of growth quality, labour productivity, economic competitiveness, urban development, and the building of a complete and modern urban transport system and planning adjustments appropriately.

The Vietnamese city is expected to take more development strides with its deeper international integration, active connection and close linkage with growth poles, development centres, major cities in the country and Southeast Asian and Asia – Pacific as well.

Meanwhile, Sakai shows off strengths in industrial production and innovation. However, the city is still facing a population decline and an aging population, and challenges due to a shrinking young workforce.

According to Sakai’s development plan by 2025, the city will promote its potential, strengths and traditional values to continue to innovate and turn itself into a creative city in the future.

Mayor Nagafuji Hideki said that Da Nang has a fast growth rate and great potential, adding that cooperation between the two cities should be strengthened in many fields, especially industrial production and environmental protection.

2019 witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Da Nang and Sakai governments.

Da Nang has also implemented a plan to speed up bilateral cooperation with Japanese partners for the 2021 - 2025 period.

The aim is to further develop the cooperation network with other Japanese partners, cities and localities in supporting Da Nang to develop new fields, facilitate the progress of projects and programmes that bring benefits to the city’s socio-economic development and catch up with regional and international trends as well.

Reporting by PHONG LAN – Translating by A.THU