Da Nang, Sakai (Japan) strengthen cooperation on green urban development and carbon neutrality

Deputy Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee cum Chairman of the municipal People's Council Nguyen Duc Dung made the statement during a reception on Monday for a delegation led by Mr. Kibata Tadashi, a member of the Sakai City People’s Council.

Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung expressed his pleasure that the meeting took place after the two cities upgraded their relationship to Friendship Cities in 2019 and are actively implementing the Carbon Neutral City Project for the 2025 - 2028 period.

He also highlighted that Da Nang has been allowed by the central government to pilot several specific mechanisms and policies, including the development of an International Financial Center and a Free Trade Zone, thereby creating a strong foundation for the city’s future growth.

As for cultural cooperation, Da Nang maintained the organization of the Vietnam - Japan Festival and the Hoi An - Japan Cultural Exchange Program annually, he added.

He affirmed that both have become well-established events that have received strong support from Japanese authorities, businesses, the Japanese community in Da Nang and visitors.

Mr. Dung took the opportunity to thank Sakai City for its continued support of these cultural exchanges. He also requested the visiting delegation to continue expanding people-to-people diplomacy, particularly through youth, student and friendship organization exchanges.

He also expressed his hope that Sakai would help bring more traditional Japanese cultural activities, such as tea ceremonies, traditional festivals and performing arts, to Da Nang in the coming time.

Mr. Dung also proposed that the Sakai People’s Council representatives facilitate a working visit by the Da Nang People's Council to the Sakai City Parliament Council and relevant agencies. The purpose of the visit is to exchange experience in building policies for green urban development, digital transformation, clean energy, social welfare, and others.

For his part, Mr. Kibata Tadashi thanked Da Nang’s leaders for their warm welcome and praised the city as a beautiful destination favored by many Japanese travelers.

He said the delegation included representatives from several local businesses who showed their keen interest in learning more about Vietnam’s socio-economic development and exploring investment and business opportunities.

Sakai City, in Osaka Prefecture, has long maintained close historical ties with Vietnam through trade between the former port city of Sakai and Hoi An.

Over the years, Sakai has actively promoted cooperation with Vietnam, particularly with Da Nang, in such spheres as people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation, environmental protection and sustainable urban development.

Mr. Kibata Tadashi emphasized that as the Vietnam - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership continued to flourish, local government cooperation and people-to-people exchanges remained key pillars of bilateral relations.

He added that the visit provided an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between Da Nang and the Sakai City government, its People’s Council and local business community.