On August 2, at Furama Resort Danang, the Department of Trade Promotion (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and the People’s Committee of Danang City organized the Danang Trade Connection and Export Promotion Conference 2024.
More than 250 delegates attended the conference directly, and many others participated online. They included representatives from diplomatic and consular agencies of foreign countries in Vietnam; foreign trade promotion organizations in Vietnam; the Departments of Industry and Trade of the southern provinces of Central Laos; foreign businesses and distributors in Vietnam; Vietnamese trade offices in China, Japan, the Russian Federation, Indonesia; and various associations and businesses. Additionally, there were representatives from local associations and businesses in Danang, as well as enterprises in the fields of production, export, distribution, and logistics from the Central – Highlands regions.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Tran Chi Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Danang People’s Committee, informed the domestic and international delegates that Danang is one of the five centrally-controlled cities, holding a crucial position in terms of politics, economics, culture, society, and national defense in the Central – Highlands regions, especially in the dynamic economic region of Central Vietnam. It also serves as an essential gateway to the sea for the Central Highlands and the countries of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, connecting them to Northeast Asian countries through the East-West Economic Corridor.
Although Danang is not extensive, it boasts geographical advantages, a high-quality workforce, well-developed infrastructure, and a connected transportation system. It is one of the few localities with both an international seaport and an international airport, located along the country’s vital routes. These factors contribute to the city’s favorable conditions for developing its economy, trade, services, and tourism.
The Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW on constructing and developing Danang city by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, and most recently, the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 136-NQ/TW dated June 26, 2024, on organizing the urban administration and piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for Danang’s development, are strategic decisions by the Party. These resolutions set out orientations to build and develop Danang into one of the country’s and Southeast Asia’s major economic and social centers in the long term. It is envisioned as an international port city and coastal urban area, serving as the nucleus of the urban chain and the growth pole of the Central – Highlands key economic region. The resolutions also aim to establish a pilot free trade area and an international financial center on a regional scale and a regional logistics hub.
Accordingly, Danang aims to form a logistics services supply chain in Central Vietnam, acting as a gateway for cargo receiving and transportation with localities and countries in the region and internationally.
With these advantages, Danang has considerable potential and strengths in attracting investment, developing production, and exporting various products, including mechanics, electricity, electronics, seafood, textiles and garments, handicrafts and wooden products, building materials, rubber and plastics, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. It also has a supportive industry for the aerospace sector, processing and manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural and food products.
Mr. Cuong shared that the trade and service sector is a bright spot, positively contributing to Danang’s overall economic growth. The city’s export activities have shown signs of recovery and improvement. It is estimated that in the first six months of 2024, the total two-way import and export turnover reached nearly $1.6 billion, an increase of 11.3% compared to the same period in 2023.
In 2024, with a target of an 8% increase in GRDP and a 6% rise in export turnover compared to 2023, Danang is committed to implementing trade promotion activities and diversifying support programs to help businesses promote and consume products and expand markets. The city is also developing policies to support businesses in the logistics sector, creating a favorable platform to attract import and export goods circulation in the city, boosting domestic and foreign consumption, controlling prices, and stabilizing the market.
Mr. Cuong acknowledged that the global economic situation still faces challenges, and market demand has not recovered strongly. Vietnamese enterprises, especially import and export businesses, encounter difficulties in production, business operations, and seeking partners and orders. Therefore, organizing trade connection activities and supporting businesses in expanding markets and finding orders and partners is essential and highly significant at this time.
“The Danang Trade Connection and Export Promotion Conference 2024 is held to effectively implement the Project ‘Promoting the Direct Participation of Vietnamese Enterprises in Foreign Distribution Networks by 2030’ and the Action Program to realize the ‘Strategy for Import and Export of Goods until 2030’ by the Prime Minister,” said Mr. Cuong.
He expressed his belief that with the coordination of the Trade Promotion Department, the European-American Market Department, and the active support of Vietnamese trade offices abroad, along with the engagement of trade promotion agencies and the response of diplomatic agencies, international organizations, and the business community, an effective support channel would be established. This channel would enable enterprises to successfully connect with domestic and foreign partners, creating a driving force to promote production and import and export business activities.
In his conference introduction, Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Department, shared that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed its units to cooperate closely with relevant agencies, organizations, and businesses. They aim to expand both traditional and modern distribution channels, focusing on exploiting online channels and e-commerce for Vietnamese products in the domestic and international markets.
Additionally, the Ministry actively promotes and diversifies export markets for Vietnamese products, with the strong involvement of the Vietnamese trade offices system worldwide.
In the future, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to accompany localities, especially Danang city, to boost export promotion, trade promotion, and trade connection activities. These efforts will help address the difficulties faced by manufacturers and exporters in the context of complex developments in the domestic and global consumption markets. Through these initiatives, the Ministry aims to support the consumption of the city’s key products in both the domestic and international markets.
At the conference, enterprises received information about the European and American markets from representatives of diplomatic and consular agencies of foreign countries in Vietnam and foreign trade promotion organizations. They also learned about the potential market for agro-aquatic products and food in China, the advantages and challenges in cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian enterprises, aspects of business start-ups in Russia, potential opportunities and considerations when exporting to Japan, and the Indonesian market and business cooperation opportunities.
The delegates discussed issues related to distribution, import and export, and logistics in Danang.
As part of the conference program, an exhibition introduced export products of 90 enterprises from Danang and some localities in the Central – Highlands regions. There was also a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and export promotion between Danang enterprises and export enterprises and organizations regarding product supply and service exchange.
