During its international integration process, Da Nang has attracted the attention of many foreign countries that have set up their consular offices in the locality. These agencies play a crucial role as a bridge to strengthen the cooperation and friendly relations between Da Nang and international localities and partners.

A performance by artists from South Korea at the Viet Nam- South Korea Festival 2024. Photo: THANH PHUONG

Friendship bridge

Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Xuan Binh highlighted the important role of Consulates General of China, Laos, Russia, Japan, and South Korea in the city in connecting and promoting cooperation programmes between Da Nang and localities and businesses of other foreign countries, as well as making the solidarity and friendship between the people of Da Nang and other countries become more in-depth, substantive, and effective.

Lao Consul General in Da Nang Souphanh Hadaoheuang emphasised that the Parties, States, and people of Viet Nam and Laos have had a special relationship for a long time. To further strengthen the relationship, the Consulate General of Laos in Da Nang has always coordinated with the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs and the local Union of Friendship Organisations to organise many cultural exchange activities such as the Bunpimay Festival, homestay programme, and 'Second Mother' model supporting Lao students. These meaningful programmes offer the good opportunities for people of the two countries to learn about each other's culture and good traditional customs.

Additionally, the Consulate General of Laos in Da Nang has made every effort to attract tourists from Laos to Da Nang and vice versa so that people can better understand the culture of the two nations through tourism.

Meanwhile, Chinese Consul General in Da Nang Dong Bi You said that the foundation of China-Vietnam friendship lies among their two peoples, so close people-to-people exchange activities play an important role in fostering the friendship.

In particular, many exchange activities have been organised in the city in recent times by the Chinese Consulate General, including the National Chinese Speech Contest - Da Nang, a video-making contest "China-Viet Nam Friendship Talents", and traditional cultural exchanges between Chinese and Vietnamese youth.

Similarly, the Viet Nam-Russia traditional friendship has developed extensively across all areas of cooperation for more than 7 decades and continues to be strengthened.

Russian Consul General in Da Nang Mizonova Maria Georgievna remarked that the year 2025 will mark the 75^th anniversary of the establishment of the Viet Nam - Russia diplomatic ties. Therefore, her agency plans to organise a festival as the farewell to the Russian winter in March 2025. This is a long-standing traditional folk festival of Russia, with the desire to say goodbye to the cold winter and welcome the new spring full of vitality.

Through this, the unique cultural features of Russia will be introduced to the people of Da Nang, contributing to deepening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Russia, she added.

To date, the Viet Nam-Japan and Viet Nam-South Korea cultural exchange festivals have become attractive annual events in Da Nang, bringing unique cultural experiences to Japanese and South Korean tourists in the city and local residents.

People-to-people exchange activities are significantly contributing to intensifying the mutual understanding and trust, and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and countries around the world, as well as expanding international cooperation opportunities to serve the socio-economic development of Da Nang.

Connecting businesses and investors

The National Assembly of Viet Nam has just issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 on the organisation of urban government and piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang, with a focus on three aspects: establishing a free trade zone; innovation, science and technology; and semiconductor, artificial intelligence (AI).

Consul General of South Korea in Da Nang Kang Boosung said that the Consulate General hosted a conference on the prospects of Viet Nam-South Korea's ICT investment cooperation in the city on August 16. The conference provided the good opportunity for Korean enterprises to learn about the ICT investment environment in Central Viet Nam in general and Da Nang in particular; as well as connect, promote and further expand investment cooperation between Korean and Vietnamese enterprises.

“We always actively coordinate with the Korean Business Associations in Quang Nam Province and Da Nang, and relevant agencies, to promptly resolve difficulties that enterprises encounter. The satisfaction of enterprises will contribute to attracting more businesses to invest in the city. The Consulate General of South Korea in the city will continue to make efforts to call on more businesses to Da Nang, and maintain cooperation in traditional spheres such as manufacturing, services, and tourism” said Mr. Kang Boosung.

Currently, Japanese investors and enterprises are looking to invest in Da Nang in the fields of high technology, information technology, microchips, semiconductors, and AI. For example, the Pasona Group has established Pasona DX Hub Da Nang, specialising in training engineers in the AI field.

Japanese Consul General in Da Nang Mori Takero said that Da Nang is prioritising attracting foreign investment in the field of information technology. He highly praised Da Nang for its good business environment, preferential policies, developed infrastructure, and abundant, young and specialised human resources.

He has done its utmost to appeal for more large Japanese enterprises in the fields of microchips, semiconductors, and cybersecurity to explore investment opportunities in the central beach city.

Mr. Mori Takero shared that in August 2023, the Suganuma Group and Fore Japan Company coordinated with Da Nang-based Duy Tan University to implement the project "Blue Rock - Cyber ​​Security Talent Incubator".

Recently, 100% of the graduates from this project were recruited by the Fore Company and the LLL Joint Stock Company (Japan) to work in Viet Nam. This project contributes to promoting human resource training activities in Da Nang in particular and Viet Nam in general in implementing the national cybersecurity strategy.

Moreover, Da Nang has already attracted many projects from large Japanese companies and corporations such as Honda, Mikazuki, and Murata Manufacturing. These projects have been and are strongly contributing to promoting the local socio-economic development.

According to Chinese Consul General in Da Nang Dong Bi You, Da Nang is currently focusing on developing fields related to science and technology, semiconductors, and AI. These are fields in which China has strengths and is ready to cooperate and share experiences so that Da Nang can make breakthroughs in these fields in the future.

“The Consulate General of China in the city will introduce and call on potential Chinese enterprises to survey and explore investment opportunities in Da Nang, as well as encourage more Chinese tourists to travel to Da Nang. It, thereby, will contribute to the city's economic growth, promote the construction of the China – Viet Nam Community of Shared Future with strategic significance to achieve more results, bringing happiness and benefits to the people and businesses of both sides” Ms. Dong Bi You emphasised.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh, based on the orientation of building and developing the city in the spirit of Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to maintain and strengthen coordination with consulate offices of foreign countries in Da Nang in the work of information, promotion, investment and trade promotion with localities and businesses of other countries worldwide. This will contribute to promoting the city's economic growth in 2024 with the theme of the year "Boosting administrative reform, strengthening discipline, continuing to unblock investment resources, promoting economic growth and ensuring social security".

With the motto of connecting Da Nang with the world, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs researches and consults with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the city's leaders to continue promoting the presence of diplomatic agencies in Da Nang, thereby affirming the position and role of the city in the process of international integration and cooperation.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG, P.Tra