Unlocking Rapid and Comprehensive Development: Da Nang’s 3 Pioneering Breakthroughs

The Government Office issued Notification No. 417/TB-VPCP dated September 13, 2024, on the conclusions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Conference to promulgate Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly and at the working session with the leaders of Da Nang City.

Da Nang has a strategically important position in terms of economy, society

The notification states: Da Nang is one of the five centrally-governed cities, holding a strategically important position in terms of economy, society, national defense, and security. It serves as the nucleus of the key economic region in Central Vietnam. The city is a crucial transportation hub, offering all modes of transportation (air, road, water, and rail) and convenient connections to the region’s economic centers. Da Nang boasts potential for developing a maritime-based economy, tourism, services, high-tech industries, information technology, healthcare, and education. Along with a heroic historical and cultural tradition, the people of Da Nang are dynamic, creative, and ambitious for renewal, advancement, and innovation. They took the initiative in proposing the “City of Five No’s, Three Yes’s, and Four Safety’s” program.

During its construction and development, Da Nang has always received attention, leadership, guidance, and support from the Party and the State to promote rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. Especially in the first six months of 2024, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 79-KL/TW dated May 13, 2024, on the continued implementation of Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019, of the 12th Politburo on building and developing Da Nang city by 2030, with a vision towards 2045. The National Assembly also issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 dated June 26, 2024, on organizing urban administration and piloting several specific mechanisms and policies for the city’s development, featuring outstanding and breakthrough advantages.

It can be said that Da Nang possesses diverse potentials, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages. It has the political, legal, and practical foundations to confidently innovate, create, and develop comprehensively, breaking through rapidly and harmoniously in the coming time.

In the past, Da Nang has achieved some outstanding socio-economic development results, including proposing to competent authorities the issuance of new policies, conclusions, and resolutions and seriously implementing the conclusions of the Prime Minister. The COVID-19 pandemic recovery has been carried out effectively, with each year showing improvement. The city has made positive contributions to building and perfecting the socialist-oriented market economy and handling lingering issues, removing bottlenecks, and mobilizing resources for development.

Da Nang is a leading locality in online public services, promoting digital transformation, and administrative reform, especially streamlining administrative procedures, reducing costs and time for people and businesses. The city has also coordinated well and seriously implemented the conclusions of the Prime Minister, the Working Group according to Decision No. 153/QD-TTg dated January 29, 2022, and the Government members according to Decision No. 435/QD-TTg dated April 24, 2023, of the Prime Minister. The implementation of key projects, such as Lien Chieu Port, the upgrade and expansion of National Highway 14B (Tuy Loan – Hoa Khuong section), and land clearance for the Hoa Lien – Tuy Loan expressway construction, has yielded good results, ensuring progress and effective resource mobilization.

Da Nang continues to strengthen Party building and the political system, consolidate unity and internal solidarity, ensure social welfare, and protect the environment. The city increasingly affirms its role as a growth pole and center of the Central – Highlands region.

In the first seven months of 2024, the city’s socio-economic situation had many bright spots. GRDP in the first six months of 2024 increased by 5% compared to the same period in 2023, higher than the average growth rate of 3.54% in the first six months of the 2020-2024 period. Notably, GRDP in the second quarter of 2024 reached an impressive growth rate of 8.35% over the same period last year, ranking 16th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. The basic inflation rate was kept under control (CPI averaged 3.04% in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period last year). Trade and industry grew quite well (total import and export turnover in the first seven months of 2024 reached nearly 1.9 billion USD, up 11.5% over the same period, with exports reaching over 1.1 billion USD). The industry production index (IIP) in the first seven months of 2024 increased by 4.7% over the same period, the highest increase in the first seven months since 2019.

The 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 thrive with many new, unique, and vibrant activities and festivals. In the first seven months of 2024, the total number of tourists served by accommodation establishments was estimated at 6.6 million, up 33% over the same period (international visitors were estimated at 2.5 million, up 34.7%). There has been a positive change in the disbursement of public investment capital (by the end of July 2024, the disbursement of the 2024 public investment plan reached VND 2,400 billion, accounting for 33% of the plan assigned by the Prime Minister and 27% of the plan assigned by the City People’s Council). State budget revenue reached 85.23% of the 2024 estimate (as of August 15, 2024). Social security was guaranteed, people’s lives were improved, political security and social order and safety were maintained, and culture, health, education, and labor received attention.

Along with the achievements, Da Nang is still facing limitations, difficulties, and challenges, including: Development is not commensurate with potential and advantages, limited development space, GRDP growth rate has not reached the set target, and unbalanced development between service, industry, and agriculture sectors. The relationship between rapid development and sustainability, and between economic growth and cultural and social development, has not been truly resolved. Strategic infrastructure needs further investment towards synchronous and modern connectivity. There is a shortage of high-quality human resources, and the handling of violations related to projects and land in inspection conclusions, investigations, audits, and the execution of judgments is slow and prolonged, causing a waste of resources. The Provincial Competitiveness Index and administrative reform index show a downward trend…

Proposing to the Prime Minister to consider establishing the Da Nang Free Trade Area

From now until the effective date of Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 dated June 26, 2024, of the National Assembly, there are only 04 months left. To ensure the timely and effective implementation of the mechanisms, policies, and tasks assigned by the National Assembly in this Resolution, the Prime Minister requested that the Ministries, branches, and Da Nang City urgently, proactively, and determinedly organize the implementation.

Specifically, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall preside and coordinate with Da Nang City and relevant Ministries and branches to: Develop the Charter of Organization and Operation of the Steering Committee for the implementation of Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 and assign specific tasks to the members of the Steering Committee for the Prime Minister’s approval and issuance; prepare to organize the first meeting of the Steering Committee soon; appraise the dossier and submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on the establishment of the Da Nang Free Trade Area in the fourth quarter of 2024; build and submit to the competent authority for promulgation of the Regulation on the operation of the Da Nang Free Trade Area, to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024; build and submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation of the Decision on adjusting and supplementing the functions of managing the Da Nang Free Trade Area to the Management Board of Da Nang High-tech Park and Industrial Zones, to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The Ministry of Home Affairs shall take the prime responsibility for building and submitting to the Government for promulgation of a Decree regulating the organization and operation of the People’s Committee of districts and the regime of responsibilities of the Chairpersons of district-level People’s Committees; the organization and operation of the People’s Committee of wards and the regime of responsibilities of the Chairpersons of ward-level People’s Committees; the election, recruitment, management, and use of civil servants working at the People’s Committees and officials and civil servants working at the ward and commune levels; making estimates, executing, and finalizing the district and ward budgets in Da Nang city, to be completed by November 30, 2024.

The Ministry of Construction shall take prime responsibility for building and submitting to the Prime Minister for promulgation of a Decision on piloting the delegation and procedures for approving adjustments to the master plan for the construction of functional areas and adjustments to the master plan of Da Nang city, to be completed by October 15, 2024.

The Ministry of Information and Communications shall take prime responsibility for researching and building a plan to develop the production of information technology products, chips, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, to be completed by December 2024.

The Ministry of Science and Technology shall take prime responsibility for researching and building a plan to promote scientific and technological research, innovation, and creative application of the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to be completed by December 2024.

The Ministry of Education and Training shall take prime responsibility for researching and building a plan to train high-quality human resources for Da Nang city, to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take prime responsibility for researching and building a plan to train, improve, and enhance skills related to emerging industries (chips, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc.) and new growth drivers such as digital transformation, green transition, and circular economy, to be completed by December 2024.

Promoting decentralization and delegation of power along with resource allocation

Regarding Da Nang City, the Prime Minister requested that the City have self-confidence, strong will, and bold and innovative thinking and actions. It should mobilize all resources to organize the implementation of mechanisms, policies, and tasks stipulated in Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15.

Review the entire mechanism and policy stipulated in Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 and the tasks that have been implemented; build programs and plans to implement the Resolutions of the National Assembly, the Government, and the Decisions of the Prime Minister.

Focus on and urgently research the model and planning for the construction of the Da Nang Free Trade Area, suitable to the city’s potential, advantages, and specific conditions; coordinate with relevant Ministries and branches to build a project and dossier for the establishment of the Da Nang Free Trade Area, and send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for appraisal in the fourth quarter of 2024; closely coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in building and submitting to the competent authority for promulgation of the Regulation on the operation of the Da Nang Free Trade Area.

Expeditiously complete the personnel arrangement to match the functions, tasks, and powers assigned in Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15; promote decentralization and delegation of power along with resource allocation; clearly assign tasks to specific individuals, with clear responsibilities, timelines, and deliverables; focus on improving the business investment environment to maximize the effectiveness of the promulgated specific mechanisms and policies.

3 pioneering breakthroughs to lead the way

To achieve rapid, comprehensive, harmonious, and sustainable development in the coming time, Da Nang City needs to implement 03 pioneering breakthroughs to lead the way, including: (i) Contributing to the improvement of the socialist-oriented market economy institution, especially mobilizing resources outside the state budget for strategic infrastructure development; (ii) Innovating and creatively applying the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to Da Nang’s specific conditions, thereby focusing on developing the digital economy, green economy, circular economy, knowledge-based economy, sharing economy, and night-time economy; (iii) Pioneering breakthroughs in decentralization and delegation of power along with resource allocation and improving implementation capacity; promoting administrative reform, especially streamlining administrative procedures and reducing compliance costs and red tape for people and businesses; building a contingent of officials who are honest, dare to think, dare to do, dare to renew, and dare to sacrifice for the common cause, especially the leaders.

At the same time, it is necessary to raise awareness of the role, position, potential, and importance of the City; clearly define its mission as an important pioneer in breaking new ground and being a growth pole of the Central – Highlands region and the whole country.

Da Nang must pay attention to and ensure harmonious development between economy, culture, and society

The Prime Minister noted that Da Nang must pay attention to and ensure harmonious development between the economy, culture, and society; not sacrifice social equity for pure economic growth; and focus on handling environmental issues. Strengthen digital transformation and build a digital government, digital society, and digital citizens; research, develop, and apply controlled trial mechanisms and policies; promote research, training, development, testing, and application of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc.

Maintain political stability, social order and safety, national defense, and security; prevent and combat corruption, wastefulness, and negativity; build a solid people’s defense foundation, a people’s security foundation, and a national defense foundation. Promote international economic integration and build an independent, self-reliant economy with extensive, substantive, and effective international integration.

Along with that, build a united, honest, democratic, proactive, effective, dynamic, and creative administrative system, taking the people and businesses as the center of service, following the principle of “say and do,” keeping promises, and handling work with a spirit of “no saying no, no saying difficult, no saying yes but not doing.”