Digital diplomacy is one of the new tools of foreign policy that is aimed to solve the problems of international and interethnic relations. Hence, it increasingly affirms its role and importance in fostering cooperation between countries around the world, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 202, Da Nang’s digital diplomacy efforts have yielded positive results through the organization of virtual working sessions and seminars between leaders of Da Nang and foreign localities around the world.

Leaders of the University of Da Nang held a virtual meeting with their counterparts of Australia-based Monash University in 2021. Photo: HUYNH LE

Mr. Tran Hieu, the Director of the External Affairs Centre under the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs said that digital diplomacy has been studied since the beginning of the 21^st century when the internet became a global means of communication in our everyday lives. The first concept of digital diplomacy was introduced by Mr Fergus Hanson from Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and he was the Director of ASPI's International Cyber Policy Centre until Jan 2023. Digital diplomacy was simply defined as use of new ICT tools in order to achieve diplomatic goals by Mr Fergus Hanson. Social media sites are already so deeply embedded in our daily lives and technology has exceeded our expectations. Hence, digital diplomacy from being defined as a diplomatic tool, now plays an increasingly important role in foreign policies of many countries worldwide.

Digital technology now engages such entities as international organizations, local governments, and individuals in diplomatic activities which were conducted almost exclusively by the State governments in the past.

According to Mr. Hieu, digital diplomacy helps connect with each other more easily, regardless of geographical distance. In addition, digital diplomacy is closely connected with public diplomacy as it facilitates greater access to information and allows for greater interaction between entities, as well as facilitates greater transparency and coordination in diplomatic activities.

Currently, Viet Nam's diplomatic sector is taking a number of measures to boost its digital diplomacy efforts. Included are the increase in the use of social networks and digital platforms in external affairs, organizing foreign affair events, conferences to build closer linkages between domestic businesses, and conducting tourism marketing campaigns.

In 2020, Da Nang successfully signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on establishing friendly and cooperative relations with Gold Coast City, extreme southeastern Queensland, Australia, at a virtual working session. Till date, the city has inked three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on establishing cooperative relations with Queensland, South Australia, and Gold Coast City. In particular, bilateral cooperation focuses on such aspects as healthcare, education, technology, and culture.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh affirmed that the Australian Government has carried many projects in the city to support it to drive its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, in addition to face-to-face meetings, the city regularly holds online meetings with Australian localities in efforts to strengthen their bilateral relationship. Australia’s strengths are information technology, hi-tech, plus research and innovation fields. They are key areas for cooperation between Da Nang and Gold Coast, and Australian localities as a whole, in recent years.

In late March, 2023, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) which is the Australian Government's international trade promotion and investment attraction agency, coordinated with the Da Nang Administration to organize a series of seminars on trade promotion, education, culture and Australian-Vietnamese cuisine that brought together more than 400 businesses, organizations, associations and agencies in Australia and Viet Nam.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Son, the Vice Director of the University of Da Nang (UD), said that UD is currently cooperating with such prestigious Australian universities as the University of Queensland, Monash University, the University of Western Australia, and La Trobe University. Especially, since 2021, UD has held many online meetings with leaders of Australian universities in order to maintain cooperative relationships with a focus on such aspects as further education after graduation from university, co-teaching in doctoral education, student exchanges, coordination in organizing international scientific conferences and other events.

"We focus on promoting international cooperation, in which, online meetings with representatives of foreign universities around the world play an important role in seeking common agreement and solving problems within our cooperation. UD always considers Australia as a leading important partner in its international cooperation strategy in the field of education, especially in technology, engineering, economics, business, pharmaceutical and medical industries, social sciences and humanities", said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Son.

In particular, Da Nang regularly keeps in contact and connects with expatriate community in Da Nang  through the use of the Facebook named ‘Connecting Da Nang worldwide’. Besides, dedicated helplines for expats have been set up in Da Nang to provide their services in English, Japanese, Chinese, South Korean languages in an attempt to provide timely support for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese who need help.

Mr. Tran Hieu stressed the need for the city to continue its efforts to upgrade its technology infrastructure, build and develop a contingent of civil servants and diplomats with good political skills and qualifications, digital fluency skills, and good information evaluation skills in order to achieve the city’s goal of safe and flexible adaptation, effective control of COVID-19, and driving socio-economic recovery. At the same time, importance must be attached on cyber security, effectively implementing the overall project on Da Nang’s economic diplomacy in the 2021-2025 period, the city's cultural diplomacy plan in the 2021-2025 period. Special attention must be paid to actively and proactively fostering bilateral and multilateral cooperation in-depth manner, developing a strategy for Da Nang’s international integration and its international cooperation to 2030, with a vision to 2045. More importantly, it is necessary to realize that digital diplomacy does not completely replace traditional diplomacy as digital diplomacy has certain limitations in building trust, conveying messages or sharing sensitive content due to digital safety and security.

Reporting by HUYNH LE – Translating by H.L