A corner of Da Nang city (Photo: VNA)Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - The central city of Da Nang aims to accelerateeconomic growth from 7.68 percent to 12 percent, while more drastic measuresand administrative reforms are needed to turn the city into an as a destinationto investment and tourism.
Secretary of the city Party Committee Truong Quang Nghia spoke at the SpringDialogue 2019 on March 1, stating that this year will be a benchmark for thesocio-economic Master Plan in 2030.
Despite the existence of 27,000 businesses with total investment of 193trillion VND (8.5 billion USD), Da Nang contributed just 1.55 percent to thecountry’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The city will focus on five key industries, including tourism and service andreal estate; sea port and logistics; hi-tech industries and innovation;information technology and digital economy and hi-tech agriculture,” Nghia saidat the dialogue.
“Da Nang will dismantle barriers in administrative procedures to support localresidents and the business community as well as foreign investors in operatingbusinesses in 2019,” he said.
He said the city would promote transparency and publicity in land access andreduce informal charges in procedures for businesses as well as boostcompetition and information for all businesses and residents.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Umeda Kunio, said Da Nang was a populardestination for investors not only from Japan, but from other countries too.
“The city has boosted ties with cities in Japan including Kawasaki, Yokohama,Mitsuke and Mimasaka. Da Nang has inked friendship affiliation agreement withOsaka and Sakai cities in early 2019,” Umeda Kunio said.
He said Da Nang did not have any direct flights to Japan five years ago, butthe city now hosted 14 direct air routes from Japan each week.
The Japanese ambassador also said Japan eased visa rules for Vietnamese civilservants and businesses.
“Japan and Da Nang agreed to cooperate in dealing with human resources, andJapan will help Da Nang in training as well as Japanese language education,” hesaid, adding that 127 Japanese business were operating in Da Nang.
He said Japan planned to open a consulate in the city in early 2020, creatingsmooth conditions for both Japanese and Vietnamese tourists, businesses andinvestment.
Japanese language has been taught at some schools following the city’s foreignlanguage teaching programme for 2012-20.
Jonathan Hanh Nguyen, whose company operates a new terminal at Cam Ranh Airportin Khanh Hoa province, urged the city to build a third terminal to easecongestion.
He said Da Nang should design an international standard duty-free zone andrecreational area for tourists.
He also suggested the city promote transparency and fair competition in landauctions among businesses as well as publicity in land planning.
Satoru Takizawa, chairman of the Japanese Business Association in Da Nang, saidthe city should plan and invest in infrastructure projects.
He said Japanese businesses and other FDI enterprises had failed in findingwork space and land for factories as well as skilled manpower.
Lawrence Lee, general director of TCIE Vietnam, a member of Malaysia’s TanChong Motor Group, said the city had offered strong support to the company indealing with policy changes in the automobile industry.
He urged other foreign businesses to eye long-term investment in Da Nang andbuild trusts in the city as a second home.
Huynh Uy Dung, Chairman of Dai Nam Group said his company would invest 10trillion VND (442 million USD) in helping the city deal with waste watertreatment with bio-technology solutions.
Kevin Loebbaka, Chief Operating Officer for Universal Alloy Corporation andPresident of Universal Alloy Corporation Europe (UAC), said the city anddepartments had been very helpful in assisting UAC.
“Da Nang and Vietnam have proven to be trusted partners in establishing ourinvestment in the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park. I would recommend to any companyseeking to do business in Vietnam. Come to Da Nang to see what opportunitiesexist in this beautiful, vibrant, high tech city,” Kevin said.
He said UAC, which was established in 1961 as a global manufacturer andsupplier of aerospace components, had established long term contracts with allthe major aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus Embraer and Bombardier.
He said UAC provided highly engineered aircraft parts and assemblies to over800 companies in North America, Asia, Europe and South America, and the companywas proud to establish a manufacturing site in Asia, in the beautiful city of DaNang.
He said in Vietnam, VietJetAir had purchased 65 Airbus A320 and A321 singleaisle aircraft, while Bamboo Airways bought six Airbus single aisle aircraft,and they would commit to 20 Boeing 787 aircraft – the Dream Liner.
He expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to focus on aerospacemanufacturing as the country further leverages offset sales to Vietnameseairlines.
Kevin said: “In Anaheim California, UAC had an exceptionally talentedVietnamese workforce that was highly proficient in math, science, and machiningskills. And today we begin UAC in Da Nang with the slogan ‘Flying into theFuture’.”
UAC will begin manufacturing over 4,000 different aerospace parts in Da Nangfor Boeing’s 787, 777, and 737 aircraft programmes, and it will export theseparts to North America, Europe and Asia.
UAC on March 1 also officially launched its 170 million USD Da Nang SunshineAerospace components manufacturer project in Da Nang.
At the one-day dialogue, the city also officially granted investment licencesto eight projects worth 490 million USD and 11 other feasibility studiesprojects with an estimate of 3.5 billion USD.
The city also signed an agreement with Sakae Holdings and Subarna JurongConsultants from Singapore in consultancy on revision of the city’s Master Planin 2030 at the dialogue. - VNS/VNA
VNA
