Aligning with the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, Da Nang has actively pursued economic diplomacy, engaging across multiple channels and sectors while playing a key role in various major bilateral and multilateral forums.
The efforts behind million-dollar investments
In 2024, Da Nang attracted over 213 million USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), notably the ICT VINA III Manufacturing Plant project by Dentium Co., Ltd. (the Republic of Korea) with a registered capital of 177 million USD.
To secure these high-value deals, the city has actively reached out and engaged global partners.
Throughout 2024, Da Nang organised 12 delegations to key and emerging markets - including China, the US, Europe, the Republic of Korea, and Japan - to promote investment, trade, and tourism. The city also strengthened ties with Daegu (the Republic of Korea) and Thuringia (Germany).
Moreover, Da Nang’s leadership hosted nearly 100 prominent international delegations, such as Qualcomm Inc., NVIDIA Corp., and ADANI Group, who explored investment opportunities in high-tech industries, innovation, AI, semiconductors, free trade zones, and regional financial centres.
Breaking away from conventional methods, the city has leveraged diplomatic events and anniversary celebrations, transforming them into strategic platforms for engagement and collaboration with domestic and international investors.
A notable example is the Da Nang - Japan Meeting, organised within the 2024 Vietnam - Japan Festival in Da Nang, which drew the interest of multiple Japanese enterprises in the city's strategic industries.
Last year, the city hosted eight investment promotion seminars and conferences, including major international events such as Da Nang Semiconductor Day 2024 and Da Nang-Daegu ICT Investment Promotion Conference.
Through these networking initiatives, the city signed multiple memorandums of understanding to foster partnerships in human resource development, investment, trade, science, innovation, and cultural exchange with various localities across different countries and territories.
In its efforts to promote international economic integration, Da Nang adopted multiple cross-sectoral solutions. The city’s international integration and cooperation plan through 2030 provided a strong foundation for future progress. Its core objective is to leverage external support and internal capabilities, adhering to its overarching policies and long-term development vision by 2030.
At the session on sustainable development held under the framework of the City Partnership Forum 2025, vice chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee, Ho Ky Minh, stated that the city had focused on attracting investment in key economic areas, including tourism, logistics services linked to seaports and international airports, information technology, high-tech industries, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, as well as finance and banking.
“We have developed comprehensive policies to support businesses in exploring and making investment decisions in Da Nang's priority sectors,” he noted.
These policies boosted investment with practical benefits. The city has implemented systematic and comprehensive measures to improve the investment environment and reform administration, resulting in high rankings in the public administrative reform and digital transformation index, the vice chairman stated.
People-to-people diplomacy as a driving force
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Visitors at Da Nang Museum |
According to Da Nang’s official, cultural and language barriers were major challenges in promoting international integration. Communication goes beyond language exchange – it also requires cultural understanding and mutual respect.
Alongside Party and State diplomacy, the city actively promoted people-to-people diplomacy, considering it a “soft power” to foster sincerity, trust, respect, and equality between Da Nang and international partners.
In recent years, a highlight of this diplomacy has seen the vibrant development of district-level foreign relations, leading to increased collaboration with the Republic of Korean localities, such as Yeongyang and Bonghwa counties, and Uiwang City.
In 2024, Da Nang reinforced its efforts to engage overseas Vietnamese, focusing on expanding partnerships with expatriates in the semiconductor sector. However, the city needs to establish concrete policies and mechanisms to encourage overseas Vietnamese intellectuals in science and technology, and to bring skilled expatriates into key industries.
Chairman of the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations Nguyen Ngoc Binh emphasised that the city’s international cooperation network provided a strong foundation for fostering diplomacy, enhancing people-to-people diplomacy, and promoting investment in priority fields aligned with the guidelines and policies of the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government.
“Since people-to-people diplomacy has also served national and local socio-economic development, Da Nang’s diplomatic efforts did not stay passive but played an active role in broader diplomacy and the city's progress,” Binh stated.
Speaking at the City Partnership Forum 2025, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang emphasised that the city prioritises economic, and science and technology diplomacy, based on strong relationships and shared goals. The city will also strengthen international cooperation in key areas including science, innovation, and sustainable development.
