Based on the Central Government's guidelines on developing political diplomacy, economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, Da Nang has continuously promoted comprehensive foreign affairs, especially people-to-people diplomacy. The people-to-people diplomacy plays a pivotal role in fostering bilateral friendship between Da Nang and international friends as well as stepping up the city’s international integration and development process.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Centre for International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Services (CIFA) under the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Da Nang in June 2024. Photo: T.P

A bridge of solidarity and friendship

According to Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh, people-to-people diplomacy activities are increasingly organised in a diverse and rich manner, attracting a large number of people from all walks of life and creating prestige with international friends. People-to-people diplomacy has become a bridge of solidarity and friendship, contributing to advertising the image of Da Nang in particular, and Viet Nam in general, as a friendly, hospitable and safe destination on the path to deep international integration.

Recently, the 9^th Viet Nam - Japan Festival in 2024 has been held successfully in Da Nang, leaving good impressions in the hearts of local people, tourists and the Japanese business community in the city.

The Viet Nam - Korea Festival 2024 is slated to take place in the city from August 16 - 18. The forthcoming event, featuring a wide array of unique and attractive art performances and programmes, promises to bring new experiences to local residents and international tourists. It will contribute to promoting international cooperation between Da Nang and South Korean localities and businesses. In 2025, Da Nang plans to host the Viet Nam - ASEAN Festival to mark 30 years of the country's official membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Attending the 9^th Viet Nam - Japan Festival, Mr. Hiraka Yukiharu, a Japanese tourist, shared that he felt impressed with the exciting and bustling atmosphere at this year’s festival. “At the festival, I felt like I was in Japan because this was the first time Bon Odori, a Japanese traditional dance, had been performed here" he added.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung hailing from Binh Dinh Province expressed that the Viet Nam - Japan Festival in Da Nang offered the good opportunity for people of the two countries to experience each other's culture. This brought people of the two countries closer together, helped them better understand the customs and cultures of the two countries.

During a recent business trip to South Korea led by municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang, Da Nang and Daegu City signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening cooperation, especially increasing cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy activities.

Previously in May, during a working trip to Europe led by municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh, Da Nang and Thüringen State signed a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing friendly cooperation, with a focus on enhancing cultural exchanges between the two cities.

The abovementioned evidence shows that cultural diplomacy is the soft power to establish, maintain and develop foreign relations among countries, and a way to spread cultural values, promote the image of landscape and people, and enhance the position and voice of Viet Nam in general, Da Nang in particular in the international arena, creating more motivation and room for the city's development.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh highlighted that the close coordination of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy will form a tripod of Viet Nam's comprehensive diplomacy, thereby, contributing to raising Da Nang's position in the international arena, and creating a favourable environment for the city to attract investment, trade and tourism.

Sharing the same view, Chairman of the city’s Union of Friendship Organisations Nguyen Ngoc Binh affirmed that people-to-people events and exchange activities have greatly contributed to promoting dynamic and beautiful Da Nang which boasts many famous landscapes, development potential and cooperation opportunities, to international investors; as well as intensifying solidarity, friendship and cooperation between Da Nang and localities of other foreign countries.

Getting many companions

The Politburo’s Resolution No.36-NQ/TW dated March 26, 2004 on overseas Vietnamese (OV) affairs affirmed that OV are an inseparable part and a resource of the Vietnamese nation.

Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh said that in recent years, the work of OV has focused on attracting resources for the city's socio-economic development, and acting as a bridge to promote international cooperation, especially in investment and trade promotion. Currently, Da Nang is concentrating on attracting foreign investment in semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries.

The city's foreign affairs sector has proactively and actively coordinated with other sectors to invite OV holding important positions at the Intel Corporation and the Synopsys International Limited to return to the country, and to sign Memoranda of Understanding with the city to boost cooperation in training human resources for the local semiconductor and AI industries.

Within the framework of the 'Meet Da Nang 2024' in January, the Da Nang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) signed cooperation agreements with the Synopsys International Limited and the Intel Corporation on training human resources for the local semiconductor industry.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh, Da Nang organised a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2022 for the first time with a purpose of introducing OV to Da Nang’s investment environment.

As a result, the Foxlink Group in Taiwan (China) was called upon to invest in the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park through the support of Mrs. Ngo Pham Tran, an overseas Vietnamese in Taiwan (China).

In addition, the city has established relationships and expanded cooperation with associations and groups of OV. In particular, the city has closely worked with the Viet Nam - Korea Businessmen and Investment Association (VKBIA) chaired by Mr. Tran Hai Linh, an overseas Vietnamese in South Korea. Thanks to the cooperation, Da Nang had the opportunity to participate in the trade promotion fair in Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province in 2024, and organise a business trip to South Korea in 2023. Meanwhile, a delegation of Gangwon Province visited Da Nang to learn about the investment environment in 2022.

In recent years, with extensive connections with OV in countries around the world as well as welcoming, consulting, supporting, and establishing cooperative and investment relations with OV, the city has to date attracted about 61 OV-invested enterprises.

A highlight in the people-to-people diplomacy picture of Da Nang is the strong development of cooperative relations with foreign non-governmental organisations. In the context of the global and regional economic fluctuations, Da Nang is considered one of the localities that strongly and effectively attract aid capital from international organisations and foreign non-governmental organisations.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh informed that in 2023, the city mobilised and received 44 aid packages from foreign non-governmental organisations with a total committed budget of more than US$ 8.9 million, an increase of US$ 5.4 million against 2022. In the first half of 2024, the city received 26 aid packages totalling over VND 65.7 billion, a rise of 5 projects compared to the same period in 2023.

Notable among the projects are the Son Tra District Urban Area programme sponsored by the US World Vision International with a budget of more than US$ 2.8 million; and 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.

Also last year, at the conference on sharing information on foreign non-governmental work organised by the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee Ho Ky Minh emphasised that the city leaders always highly appreciated the cooperative relationship with foreign non-governmental organisations with Da Nang.

Over the years, with the effective cooperation and support of organisations, the lives of people, especially children, in difficult circumstances have been significantly improved. This is considered one of the important resources contributing to the construction and development of the city.

During the 2023-2025 period, Da Nang continues to mobilise foreign non-governmental organisations to provide aids in a number of priority areas such as healthcare; education – training; vocational training and career guidance; solving social issues; environment; climate change; natural disaster prevention and mitigation; agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development; and science and technology.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating M.DUNG