A working session between Đà Nẵng and EU delegations. The two partners have been seeking further co-operation in high-tech industries, AI and semiconductors. Photo courtesy of Xuân Quỳnh

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city has called for deeper co-operation and investment from the European Union in key industries and services, including semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence (AI), high-quality human resources training, sea port and tourism.

Deputy Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Trần Chí Cường said in a working session with EU delegation led by Julien Guerrier, the Ambassador of European Union to Việt Nam, head of the delegation from European Union (EU).

He urged partners from European countries coming to Đà Nẵng to seek investment opportunities, co-operation and support as the city has offered favourable conditions for investors building it into a key ‘smart’ and ‘green’ urban area in central Việt Nam.

Cường said Đà Nẵng had inked co-operation programmes with EU partners – Wallonie-Bruxelles (Belgium); Boras (Sweden); Salo and Turku (Finland); Timisoara (Romania); Varna (Bulgaria) and Kosice (Slovakia) in the past decades, and it has been speeding up the Master Plan for 2030-45.

EU Ambassador to Việt Nam Julien Guerrier said Đà Nẵng is seen as a potential partner in the semiconductor industry, and EU members have been seeking investment and market expansion in Đà Nẵng.

He committed to keep supporting to Việt Nam and Đà Nẵng in helping the country achieve prosperous and sustainable development.

EU will also focus on education and high-tech industry human resources, tourism and hospitality in Đà Nẵng in the coming time.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and partners from EU provided total funding of VNĐ26 billion for 37 programmes and projects in Đà Nẵng in 2023.

A cruise ship docks at Đà Nẵng City's Tiên Sa Port. The city is seen as a favourite destination for cruise visitors from European countries. Đà Nãng urged co-operation and investment from EU in high-tech industries, sea port, tourism and human resources. VNS Photo Công Thành

Đà Nẵng earned an export turnover with the EU of $283 million last year.

EU also funded a biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability project in Đà Nẵng City in 2020-23, with a total 650,000 euros.

Sweden's Boras City supported Đà Nẵng in waste management and recycling facilities, while Turku and Salo cities, Finland, boosted co-operation of sea port development, logistics, public transport and smart traffic, computer cloud, big data, bio technology, hi-tech farming and human resources training.

Đà Nẵng and Timisoara, Romania, agreed in investment, trade, tourism, high-tech, information technology, culture and education

The University of Đà Nẵng and University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) (Francophone University Association) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the fields of scientific research, education and student exchange, technology transfer, communications, business management, water management and embedded software systems.

Đà Nẵng University, which is one of the top 50 universities in ASEAN, and a key human resource centre for the central and Central Highlands regions, has been seeking comprehensive cooperation with Ulysseus European University member universities of Côte d’Azur (France), Sevilla (Spain), Genova (Italy), Kosice (Slovakia), MCI (Austria), Haaga-Helia (Finland), Zitet Crne Gore (Mongtenegro) and Munster (Germany).

The two partners agreed to set up an international technology hub – the Đà Nẵng International Institute of Technology at Đà Nẵng University – for future co-operation. VNS