On March 27, Da Nang People's Committee held the 11th Da Nang Urban Development Forum in Yokohama. Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Ho Ky Minh and Yokohama Vice Mayor Shiro Hirotoshi led the forum.
Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Ho Ky Minh said that the 11th Da Nang Urban Development Forum took place in the context of Viet Nam and Japan celebrating 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations (September 21, 1973 - September 21, 2023).
“We hope this will be an opportunity to look back at the two nations’ relationship so far, create a foundation for that relationship to develop even further in the future, and for our two countries to work together as partners with mutual benefits to each other", Mr. Ho Ky Minh said.
Mr. Ho Ky Minh also affirmed that Japan is an important partner of Viet Nam not only in terms of politics and foreign affairs, but also in terms of economic development and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The delegation of Da Nang with the leaders of Yokohama
For Da Nang, Japan is always a strong partner in many fields. Currently, there are 215 enterprises, representative offices, or projects of Japanese companies with a total investment of 1,041 million USD, making Japan the leading country out of 40 countries and territories with investments in Da Nang.
Da Nang City has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish official friendship and cooperation relations with 4 Japanese cities including: Yokohama, Kawasaki, Sakai, and Kisarazu. In addition, the City also has cooperative activities with 15 other provinces/cities of Japan.
After fully opening to international tourism in March 2022, Japan was one of the first foreign markets that Da Nang focused on reconnecting with. In July 2022, after 2 years of suspension due to COVID-19, Da Nang successfully organized the 7th Viet Nam - Japan Festival.
Da Nang city has also implemented numerous policies to support Japanese businesses, welcomed Japanese business delegations and investors to explore investment opportunities in the City, implemented many administrative reforms to create a favorable business environment, and shortened a number of administrative procedures such as licensing foreign workers. The City is trying harder to meet the needs and create conditions for businesses such as developing supporting industries and urban transport infrastructure, training human resources, and providing abundant young workers at reasonable labor costs and with high skills", Mr. Ho Ky Minh said.
The Standing Vice Chairman of Da Nang People's Committee expressed his hope that Da Nang would continue to have the close cooperation from Yokohama in connecting Japanese enterprises to invest and find business partners in Da Nang, contributing to the strengthening of cooperation between the two cities.
At the forum, the delegations of the two cities as well as investors discussed issues related to urban development challenges and infrastructure investment in eco-industrial parks; the project promoting separation and recycling at source; Yokohamas global warming action plan and initiatives; investment projects in Da Nang; and future cooperation between the two cities.
