Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang announced that its smart city project is a key driver of socio-economic development in the future, in addition to a transition to technology-based city management.
According to media reports, the statement was made by Da Nang’s Chairman, Huynh Duc Tho, at the Smart City Summit 2019, which took place in the city on October 23.
He said that Da Nang already approved a smart city development plan for 2018-2025 and expects it to be completed around 2030.
The city mayor added that the Summit is a good opportunity for the city’s agencies and domestic and foreign experts to discuss the models, solutions, technologies, and policies to successfully build a smart city.
In addition to Da Nang’s development plan, the participants at the summit reported on smart city trends in ASEAN, Malaysia’s experience in smart city building, and public-private partnership in smart city building.
There was also an in-depth discussion session on leaders’ visions in smart city development and the core components of building, developing, and operating a smart city.
The Smart City Summit 2019 was jointly held by the Da Nang government and the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association, with the participation of the ASEAN Chief Information Officer Association and the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation.
The summit saw the attendance of city leaders, scientists, and IT experts.
The government and the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA) also held Japan ICT Day 2019, a two-day event.
As OpenGov reported earlier, at the event, Vietnamese and Japanese firms exchanged information about and experience in new technologies.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Vietnam-Japan IT Cooperation Committee and the IT Innovation and Strategy Centre of Okinawa prefecture of Japan for cooperation.
The event explored ways to develop human resources in IT services and improve the capacity, scale, and quality of cooperation projects. The event also featured exhibitions introducing products and solutions from Vietnamese and Japanese enterprises.
Japan has 177 projects worth more than US$800 million, making it the biggest foreign investor in Da Nang. Japan makes up 25% of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) in the city, he said.
It was also reported that the country is the biggest software export market of IT firms in Da Nang. It accounts for more than 36% of the market share.
Activities within the framework of Japan ICT Day 2019 aimed at expanding cooperation between Vietnamese and Japanese businesses in the IT sector. Specifically, in digital transformation, big data, and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR).
Currently, Da Nang the IT centre of Vietnam’s central region, with 93% out of over 3,800 businesses operating in the software and IT sector.
Around 38 universities and vocational colleges in the city offer IT training courses. They recruit 3,500 students each year.
The Chief Representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in Hanoi cited an annual survey by the organisation as saying that about 70% of Japanese firms operating in Vietnam are planning to expand business in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
