“Leading the Way: Danang’s Trailblazing Spirit in Three Key Areas”

In the afternoon of September 1st, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh worked with the Standing Committee of the Da Nang Party Committee on socio-economic development, national defense and security, Party building, and political system in the first months of 2024, key tasks and solutions for the coming time, and resolving some proposals of the city.

Also attending were members of the Central Party Committee: Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy, Deputy Minister of Public Security Le Quoc Hung, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang; leaders of ministries, branches, central agencies, and Da Nang city.

Earlier the same day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh surveyed two expected locations for the construction of a commercial service area in the Da Nang Free Trade Zone, including the sea reclamation study area along Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Thanh Khe District, with an area of about 420 hectares, and the 90-hectare area at the foot of Ba Na Mountain, Hoa Vang District (already planned for commercial and service land); inspecting the construction progress of shared infrastructure at Lien Chieu Port and the coastal road connecting Lien Chieu Port.

The Prime Minister also inspected the construction site of the Hoa Lien-Tuy Loan expressway; resolving difficulties related to a capital source of VND 400 billion for the intersection between the Da Nang-Quang Ngai expressway, the Hoa Lien-Tuy Loan expressway, and National Highway 14B; visiting Hope School, invested and built by FPT Corporation, to welcome unfortunate children who lost their parents due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A position of special strategic importance

Reports and opinions at the meeting unanimously assessed that Da Nang has a position of special strategic importance in terms of economy, trade, military, and defense; a livable city and a tourism center of the country on the “Heritage Road” of Central Vietnam, with favorable natural conditions and an important transport hub.

With the goal of building Da Nang city into one of the country’s major socio-economic centers, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019, on building and developing Da Nang city by 2030, with a vision to 2045; Conclusion No. 79-KL/TW dated May 13, 2024, of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW.

The National Assembly issued Resolution No. 119/2020/QH14 dated June 19, 2020, on piloting the model of urban administration and special mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang, which was recently replaced by Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 dated June 26, 2024. The Prime Minister has also issued Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg dated November 2, 2023, approving the Master Plan for Da Nang city for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

On Da Nang’s socio-economic development results in the past time

, the economy has tended to recover well, with GRDP in the first 6 months of 2024 increasing by 5% over the same period in 2023, higher than the average growth rate of 3.54% in the first 6 months of the 2020-2024 period.

Particularly, GRDP in the second quarter of 2024 of the city impressively reached 8.35% over the same period last year, ranking 16th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. Core inflation was kept under control, with the average CPI in the first 7 months of 2024 increasing by 3.04% over the same period last year.

Trade and industry grew quite well, with total import and export turnover in the first 7 months of 2024 reaching nearly US$1.9 billion, up 11.5% over the same period, of which exports reached over US$1.1 billion.

IIP of the industry in the first 7 months of 2024 increased by 4.7% over the same period, the highest growth rate of the first 7 months since 2019. Total retail sales of goods and service revenue were estimated at nearly VND 80,000 billion, up 14.9% over the same period last year, of which tourism revenue increased by 57.6%.

Services and tourism continued to grow strongly with many new, unique, and vibrant activities and festivals. In the first 7 months of 2024, the total number of tourists served by accommodation facilities was estimated at 6.6 million arrivals, up 33% over the same period (international visitors were estimated at 2.5 million arrivals, up 34.7%).

Attracting investment and disbursement of investment capital has seen positive changes. In the first 7 months of 2024, the city attracted nearly US$28.3 million in FDI, up 4.1% over the same period, and VND 18,200 billion in domestic investment.

By the end of July 2024, the disbursement of the public investment plan for 2024 reached VND 2,400 billion, accounting for 33% of the plan assigned by the Prime Minister and 27% of the plan assigned by the Municipal People’s Council. Investment capital for the construction of works using the State budget managed by the locality reached over VND 3,200 billion, up 13.9% over the same period in 2023.

Social security and people’s lives have been guaranteed; political security and social order and safety have been maintained; and fields of culture, health, education, and labor have been given attention.

6 impressions with Da Nang

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh informed that General Secretary and President To Lam cared much about Da Nang’s development and would soon work with the city. The Prime Minister basically agreed with the reports and opinions and appreciated the efforts and important achievements that the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Da Nang have made in the past time, making important contributions to the common achievements of the country.

The Prime Minister shared 6 “impressions” of Da Nang: Da Nang has overcome the consequences and continued to develop after the COVID-19 pandemic; contributed to the development of the socialist-oriented market economy institution, removing many “bottlenecks” in mechanisms and policies; promoted the deployment of online public services and administrative reform; seriously implemented the conclusions of the Prime Minister and the Head of the Government’s Working Group on grasping the situation and solving emerging issues in the area; Da Nang has increasingly affirmed its role, position, and importance as a growth pole and growth center of Central Vietnam and the country, with comprehensive, harmonious, fast, and sustainable development; has a basis, a premise, and promotes the spirit and tradition of Da Nang, creatively applies the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Along with that, in implementing the conclusions of the Prime Minister at the previous working session with Da Nang, the city has made much progress and completed many important tasks, such as building institutions, mechanisms, and policies to submit to competent authorities; deploying the construction of shared infrastructure for Lien Chieu Port, which is a highlight; promoting the North-South expressway project through the locality (completed by August 30, 2025); continuing to consolidate, strengthen, and promote solidarity and unity; actively implementing social security policies and protecting the environment…

However, the Prime Minister also shared “5 concerns” when Da Nang has not developed commensurately with its potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages; needs to develop more comprehensively in terms of industry, services, and agricultural economy; there are still many difficulties and prolonged projects that have not been handled thoroughly, causing a waste of resources; developing quickly but sustainably and harmoniously in terms of economy, society, culture, and people; developing strategic infrastructure and connecting transport modes must try harder.

Striving for GRDP growth of 8-8.5% in 2024

After analyzing and sharing some lessons, to promote Da Nang’s rapid, sustainable, harmonious, and comprehensive development, the Prime Minister suggested that Da Nang implement “3 pioneers, breakthroughs, and go ahead”.

First,

contribute to perfecting the socialist-oriented market economy institution, specifically mobilizing resources from non-state sectors for development, especially infrastructure development.

Second,

promote innovation, creatively and effectively apply the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the specific conditions of Da Nang; focus on developing a digital economy, green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, knowledge-based economy, and night-time economy.

Third,

promote


decentralization and empowerment, along with resource allocation, improving the capacity for implementation, strengthening inspection and supervision, promoting administrative reform, especially administrative procedure reform, reducing compliance costs, time, and minimizing harassment of people and businesses; building a streamlined, efficient, and effective apparatus; building a contingent of officials, especially leaders, with sufficient virtues, capacity, and prestige, being capable and daring to think, dare to do, and dare to take responsibility for the common benefits.

On key tasks

, the Prime Minister requested to continue to propagate and concretize Resolution 26 of the Politburo “On socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the North Central and Central Coastal regions by 2030, with a vision to 2045”; Resolution 43 of the Politburo on the direction, tasks, and goals for developing Da Nang city by 2030; Resolution 136 of the National Assembly on the model of urban administration and piloting some special mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang city.

At the same time, it is necessary to be more aware of the role, position, potential, and importance of the city, the mission of being a pioneer, taking the lead, breaking through, and going ahead; strongly promoting the role of the economic leader of the North Central and Central Coastal regions, a growth pole and development of Central Vietnam and the country.

Along with that, strive to successfully complete the goals and tasks set for 2024 and the whole term, giving priority to growth, striving for GRDP growth of 8-8.5% in 2024, ensuring major balances, controlling inflation, and stabilizing the macro economy.

The Prime Minister requested Da Nang to focus on building and implementing plans to realize the Resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government, and the Decisions of the Prime Minister; deploying the Master Plan for Da Nang city, determining the key content, progress, and resources to implement the programs and projects in the Master Plan.

Build a plan to develop a free trade area according to Resolution 136 of the National Assembly; mobilize the maximum resources for development, improve the efficiency of attracting and using investment capital, increase revenue, save expenses, expand the revenue base to invest in development; handle problems and difficulties that have been prolonged to release resources.

The Prime Minister also requested Da Nang to promote digital transformation, build a digital government, digital economy, and digital society, and digital citizens; study and apply controlled trial mechanisms and policies (sandbox), promote training, research, development, testing, and application of artificial intelligence.

The Prime Minister noted that socio-economic development must go hand in hand with preserving and promoting traditional cultural values and protecting the environment; well solving social issues; promoting integration and foreign affairs, strengthening national defense and security, maintaining political security, social order, and safety.

Pay attention to Party building and building a clean and strong political system; continue to improve the leadership and fighting capacity of Party organizations and members; well implement Directive No. 35-CT/TW of the Politburo on organizing Party congresses at all levels towards the XV Congress of the Party.

The Prime Minister emphasized that economic development is the central task; Party building is the key task; cultural development is the spiritual foundation; ensuring national defense and security is essential and regular; building a people’s defense posture, a people’s security posture, and a posture of the people’s strength; taking the people as the center, the subject, the goal, and the driving force for development; resources come from thinking and vision, motivation comes from innovation and creativity, and strength comes from the people and businesses.

Also at the meeting, leaders of ministries and branches gave feedback, and the Prime Minister gave directions on Da Nang’s proposals. The Prime Minister requested the central ministries and branches to “not say no, not say difficult, and not say yes but not do” to Da Nang;