Da Nang’s diplomatic work was implemented in a synchronous, effective, and enthusiastic manner in 2023, yielding many positive results, making important contributions to Viet Nam’s remarkable achievements in foreign affairs, and practically, serving Da Nang's socio-economic development and its social welfare goals.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs cum Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (middle) and Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh (2nd, left) award the Minister of Foreign Affairs-granted certificates of merit to Ms. Cecile Le Pham (2nd, right) and Mr. Bao Hoa (left) for their many positive contributions to the city's socio-economic development in 2023. Photo: T. PHUONG

Boosting international integration and cooperation

As reported by Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh, in 2023, in a positive sign, Da Nang’s international integration and cooperation activities were synchronously and comprehensively implemented. To date, the city has welcomed more than 500 international delegations, thereby positively contributing to its socio-economic development as well as enhancing its stature and image not just on the domestic arena but on an international stage.

At present, Da Nang becomes the first locality in Viet Nam to promulgate the project on Da Nang’s international integration and cooperation by 2030. This fact clearly shows the city's internationalisation and dynamism in international integration, heading towards its stature as a major city in Southeast Asia in line with the spirit of Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045.

In an attempt to welcome event more investment waves in the new context, Da Nang is, for the time being, focusing on ensuring a favourable investment and business environment, calling on large corporations in the semiconductor industry to pour their investment into the city. The Da Nang administration views this as a new driving force, creating a breakthrough in the city's economic growth in 2024 under the theme ‘The year of promoting administrative reform, strengthening discipline, continuing to open up investment resources, promoting promote economic growth and ensure social welfare’.

In parallel with attracting investment in the field of semiconductor technology, Da Nang also gives its priority to attracting investment in the fields of logistics industry, seaports, financial centres, financial technology (fintech), and high-quality services such as education, healthcare and tourism.

In March 2024, during their business trip to the United States, a delegation of Da Nang, led by Permanent Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ho Ky Minh, worked with many large organisations, companies and corporations such as the World Bank, Intel, Synopsys, Ampere and the Oregon state government and the Arizona State University to discuss human resource training programmes and introduce the environment and policy mechanisms to attract investment in the field of semiconductor technology in Da Nang.

Along with that, at the ‘Meet Da Nang 2024’ event, Da Nang inked many agreements with international agencies and US businesses such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Synopsys International Ltd. and Intel Corporation.

According to Ambassador and Head of the European Union (EU)  Delegation to Viet Nam, Julien Guerrier, Da Nang is a potential partner in the field of semiconductor chip technology for the EU. EU member countries are exploring investment opportunities in Da Nang to expand their investment market network. Not only are businesses and investors from the United States and EU member countries interested in and investing in this field, but Rorze Corporation, a large Japanese business specialising in the field of semiconductor technology, is also planning to look for investment opportunities in Da Nang.

US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns highly appreciated Da Nang for seizing the opportunity to develop the semiconductor chip industry right after Viet Nam and the US upgraded their relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership and the US trip visits made by the Da Nang leaders as well in 2023.

In order to seize the opportunity to develop this lucrative industry, Da Nang has always promoted the training of high-quality human resources and focused on infrastructure investment in the Da Nang Hi-tech Park and Software Park No. 2 to serve the IC and semiconductor design fields.

The establishment of the Da Nang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) is proof that the city has made careful and long-term preparations in terms of training semiconductor human resources. Currently, 25 lecturers selected from universities in the city are receiving short-term training under the programme of Synopsys Corporation.

In 2023, the city issued a plan to implement solutions to restore and develop the international tourist source markets. Da Nang hosted many international events such as the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival, the BRG Open Golf Championship, the Da Nang International Film Festival, all of which have contributed to promoting the city's image and its highly-appealing tourism environment to international visitors.

Thanks to that, the number of international visitors arriving in Da Nang reached more than 2 million, 4 times higher than in 2022. In a similar vein, the number of domestic visitors climbed by 69% from 2022 to reach more than 5.4 million.

Also last year, Da Nang attracted US$ 181 million worth of FDI investment capital. Accumulated up to date, there have been 1,015 FDI projects in the city with a total investment capital of over US$ 4.1 billion, mainly from South Korean and Japanese investors.

Mobilising resources for social welfare tasks

It is a fact that not only is the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs good at promoting Da Nang’s renowned image as friendly, hospitable and liveable city to international friends, but it also contributes to attracting foreign investment and mobilising resources for social welfare.

As reported by Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh, in 2023, Da Nang mobilised and received 44 financial aid grants from foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a total committed amount of more than US$8.9 million, nearly US$ 2 million has been disbursed so far.

In particular, the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs itslef mobilised 13 aid grants with more than US$3.9 million worth of total commitments, an increase of 7 aid grants and US$1.6 million compared to 2022. Notable among them were the Son Tra Urban Area Development Programme sponsored by World Vision International with an aid of over US$ 2.8 million; a project to support male students who are orphans or have extremely difficult circumstances in Da Nang, sponsored by  the United States-headquartered Giving It Back To Kids organisation with over US$ 460,000 USD worth of support.

“The kind support made by NGOs is one of the great resources contributing to significantly enhancing the material and spiritual lives of people and the socio-economic development of Viet Nam, and Da Nang in particular.”, said Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh.

More recently, addressing a conference to share information on foreign NGOs affairs in 2023 organised by the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Head of People's Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Do Thi Kim Dung assessed that Da Nang was a locality that handled foreign NGOs affairs very well, hereby gradually enhancing the material and spiritual lives of the disadvantaged in the city. In reality, handling foreign non-governmental affairs is part of people-to-people diplomacy, which serves as one of the important pillars of the diplomatic sector.

Along with mobilising aids from NGOs, the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs has called on a number of overseas Vietnamese people to participate in humanitarian activities and offer aids to practical programmes and projects in healthcare and education and those benefiting disadvantaged children across the city.

Typically, Ms. Cecile Le Pham, an overseas Vietnamese residing in France, annually supports more than VND 1 billion for the care for orphans living at the Hoa Mai Orphanage Centre as well as sponsors Tet gifts for the families of Agent Orange victims living in difficult circumstances.

In addition, the city’s authorities have given the green light to the implementation of many projects and policies related to vocational training and job creation for those in need because this is a key issue for the socio-economic development of each country and each locality.

Da Nang has effectively boosted connections with localities in other countries for labor export. 2017 was the first year that the Hoa Vang District People's Committee signed a cooperation agreement with Yeongyang County, Gyeongsanbuk-do Province, South Korea on seasonal labour delegation exchanges in the agricultural sector.

According to Standing Vice Chairman of the Hoa Vang District People's Committee Nguyen Thuc Dung, since 2017, the district has sent nearly 1,500 workers to South Korea.

Most workers were excited to gain more agricultural production experience and have quite high income. On average, each worker earns more than VND 80 million - 200 million after each seasonal work trip lasting from 3 to 5 months. The total income workers have brought home was estimated at over VND117 billion.

It can be said that this cooperation programme is seen as a bright spot in the district's social welfare mission, contributing to sustainable job creation and poverty reduction, especially for farmers whose livelihoods are affected by the shrinking agricultural production land area in the context of ongoing urbanisation.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating by A.THU