Da Nang is making efforts to strongly promote economic growth associated with economic restructuring, taking science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the main driving force. The city strives to turn itself into a new science and technology centre of the country, and a place for controlled testing of new economic models and new scientific fields.

Municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang made the statement at a ceremony solemnly held at the Tien Son Sports Arena on Saturday morning to celebrate the 95^th anniversary of the municipal Party Organisation (March 28, 1930 - March 28, 2025) and the 50^th anniversary of the city's liberation (March 29, 1975 - March 29, 2025).

Secretary Quang reviewed the heroic and glorious tradition of the Party over its 95-year journey and the city. He affirmed that the victory in the General Offensive and Uprising in the spring of 1975 to liberate Da Nang was a shining symbol of patriotism and revolutionary heroism; a wonderful epic about the noble sacrifice, indomitable spirit and steadfast revolutionary will of Vietnamese army and people; and a crystallization of the tradition of "loyalty, steadfastness" of the Quang Nam - Da Nang homeland. All greatly contributed to the victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, creating the great victory in the Spring of 1975.

Party General Secretary To Lam confers First-Class Labour Order on Da Nang's Traditional Flag.

Promoting revolutionary tradition

Secretary Quang said that on January 1, 1997, Da Nang, together with Hoa Vang District and Hoang Sa Island District, were separated from Quang Nam - Da Nang Province to become a new administrative unit directly under the Central Government. This event marked an important historical turning point for the city to enter a new stage of development.

In difficult conditions, the Party Committee, government and people of Da Nang have made constant efforts and risen up with innovative thinking, and the will to be self-reliant and develop. Taking advantage of the leadership and direction of the Central Government, and the cooperation and assistance of neighboring localities, Da Nang has devoted all its efforts, heart and soul to the construction and development.

Party General Secretary To Lam (6th from left) presents the First-Class Labour Order of the President to the Party Committee, government and people of Da Nang.

In the midst of such hardships and challenges, each cadre, party member and citizen of Da Nang has promoted the heroic, resilient, united and courageous revolutionary tradition, upheld the achievements of previous periods, always been sensitive to new things, dared to think, dared to do, flexibly and creatively applied the Party's policies and guidelines, the State's laws to the specific conditions of the city and achieved great and relatively comprehensive achievements in all fields.

In particular, the city's economy has grown quite well over the years. The local average growth rate of GRDP reaches more than 9%/year. The scale of the economy increased by about 45 times, and the budget revenue by more than 25.6 times in comparison with 1997. The average income per capita increased by 21 times. The most outstanding feature of the city is the urban planning and renovation, and synchronous development of infrastructure.

From a small urban area, Da Nang is now a locality with an urbanization rate of 87.2%, twice as high as the national average. The economic structure has shifted in the right direction. The service sector leads the country in terms of proportion and growth rate.

In particular, the digital economy has accounted for 24.7% of the city's total GRDP. Da Nang has topped the Digital Transformation Index (DTI) rankings at provincial and city levels in all three key pillars of digital government, digital economy and digital society. The city has led the 5 centrally-run cities in the Viet Nam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI). It has been honoured with the Vietnam Smart City Award for 5 consecutive years. Tourism has become a key economic sector, forming a competitive brand of international stature, and making Da Nang become an attractive, safe and friendly destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang delivers a commemorative speech

Along with economic development, the city has focused on synchronous and harmonious development of the cultural and social fields with important achievements in education and training, healthcare, science and technology, sports, literature and arts.

Many major political, cultural and sporting events of national and international stature have been held in Da Nang. The city has issued many breakthrough policies, including the '5 No's, 3 Yes's' programe and 'City of 4 Safe Programmes' campaign. It has effectively implemented policies and preferential regimes for people with revolutionary contributions and vulnerable groups in society.

Desire to rise, find new motivation

Mr. Quang remarked, in recent times, the central government has issued many specific mechanisms and policies to facilitate the city's sustainable and long-term development.

Prominent among them are mechanisms to resolve and remove projects that have been delayed for many years; develop new economic models, establish Free Trade Zones, build International Financial Centres; officially organize urban government, pilot specific mechanisms on finance, planning, and investment; attract strategic investors to develop semiconductors and artificial intelligence industries; and policies on controlled testing, science and technology development, and innovation.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Tuan, who is former Director of the Propaganda Department, General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, former Deputy Commander of Da Nang Special Forces, and directly participated in the Quang Nam - Da Nang Campaign, represents veterans who participated in the city's liberation, speaks at the ceremony.

According to Secretary Quang, to successfully implement the set goals and requirements, the Party Committee, government and people of the city should concentrate on doing well the work of reorganizing the apparatus and administrative units.

Importance should be attached to actively attracting, discovering, nurturing and promoting talented people; as well as developing the private economy, digital economy, green economy, and circular economy.

Efforts will be made to early form the International Financial Centre and Free Trade Zone; research and develop a project to expand the development space at sea; and build a synchronous, modern infrastructure system, connecting smooth traffic to develop Da Nang into a major centre of tourism, trade, finance, logistics, high-tech industry, information technology, supporting industry.

Huynh Nguyen Yen Nhi, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of the Faculty of International Business at the University of Economics - the University of Da Nang, represents the young generation of the city, gives a speech at the ceremony.

Da Nang also eyes becoming one of the cultural - sports, education - training, high-quality healthcare, science and technology development centres of the country; a centre for organizing international events; a seaport city, an international coastal city with the role of the nucleus of the urban chain and growth pole of the key economic region of the Central - Central Highlands; and an ecological, modern, smart urban area and a livable city.

Also at the ceremony, Party General Secretary To Lam awarded the First-Class Labour Order of the President to Da Nang in recognition of their outstanding achievements in digital transformation, tourism development, social security.

Reporting by N.PHU, X.HAU, Q.CUONG - Translating by M.DUNG