The visit was part of activities to celebrate the 45th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Canada diplomatic relations (1973-2018).
In the framework of the visit, the delegation attended a forum to promote trade and investment in Da Nang city held by the Canada-Vietnam Trade Council (CVTC), which aimed to foster trade and investment linkages between the two countries.
Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Tran Van Mien introduced delegates to Da Nang’s environment, investment and business opportunities, as well as its investment incentives.
As a driving force of growth in the Central key economic region, Da Nang city always leads the way in developing infrastructure, thus creating a smooth connection between Vietnam’s Central and Central Highlands regions with other countries in the region and the world, he said.
Da Nang has a strategic location with modern infrastructure, abundant and high-quality human resources, friendly investment environment, transparent management system, and peaceful living environment, he noted, adding that it is also one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam.
In its development strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2045, Da Nang aims to become a smart city with sustainable development, a center of high quality tourism and service and high technology of Vietnam, Mien said, stressing that Da Nang’s development orientations are in line with strengths of Canadian businesses and investors.
Canadian investors expressed their special interest in policies to encourage and support foreign investment, tax incentives, and development support in high-tech zones, in information technology, startups, infrastructure development and in real estate leasing.
Many investors appreciated the open policy of Da Nang as well as the city’s immediate and long-term development orientations.
Lisa Bate from B+H Architects - a company with many years of investment and business experience in Vietnam, highlighted the potential for expanding cooperation between businesses and localities of the two countries.
Vietnam’s major cities, including Da Nang, boast great potential and opportunities to further develop, as they possess skilled human resources and have mapped out a development strategies matching with the development trend of the world, she said.
With these advantages, Vietnam in general and Da Nang in particular will have positive prospects for cooperation in a number of fields, such as education, health, infrastructure and hi-tech development, she noted.
For his part, Nghia pledged to continue measures and practical actions to improve the city's investment and business environment, thus making it easier for businesses and investors from Canada and other countries to set up and operate projects in Da Nang.
He expressed his hope that the CVTC and Canadian enterprises will continuously support investment promotion and attraction into Da Nang in high technology, IT, trade and education, towards creating a new wave of Canadian investment in Vietnam and Da Nang in particular, especially in the context that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was signed, and strong impacts brought by the 4th Industrial Revolution on Vietnam’s development and its increasingly integration in the global economy.
Previously, the Vietnamese delegation had a working session with Toronto city’s Economic and Cultural Development Department to seek opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
Source: VNA