Da Nang fosters cooperation with US partners
DNO - As part of its working visit to the United States, a delegation of Da Nang, led by Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee Nguyen Manh Hung, recently had working sessions with Ares Management Corporation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York.
During the meeting with Ares Management Corporation, Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung outlined Da Nang’s development direction, with a focus on developing and effectively operating the Vietnam International Financial Center in Da Nang (VIFC-DN).
In particular, VIFC-DN aims to establish a competitive legal environment aligned with international practices, with clear regulations on procedures, capital flows, investor protection, dispute resolution and policy predictability.
VIFC-DN is envisioned as a next-generation financial center, gradually serving as a bridge connecting international capital with investment opportunities in Vietnam.
Mr. Mitchell Goldstein, Co-Chairman of the Board and Head of Ares’ Global Credit Group, spoke highly of the development orientation of VIFC-DN and expressed his interest in potentially participating in its ecosystem.
The two sides discussed investment prospects in Vietnam, and Da Nang in particular, especially infrastructure projects implemented under public-private partnership (PPP) models.
Also, discussions focused on necessary conditions to attract and facilitate the effective participation of international investors and organizations in projects in Da Nang, and Vietnam as a whole.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to continue exchanging experience in developing the private credit market and solutions to mobilize additional medium- and long-term capital. This will help explore opportunities to mobilize additional international capital for infrastructure projects and the development needs of Da Nang, and Viet Nam at large.
Ares Management Corporation is a global alternative asset manager operating in the fields of credit, real estate, infrastructure, private equity, and secondary markets.
As of June 30, 2026, Ares managed around US$671 billion in assets and deployed US$120 - US$150 billion in investment capital annually on a global scale.
Also on the same day, the Da Nang delegation worked with UNDP.
Participants included Mr. Marcos Athias Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau of Policy and Programme Support; Mr. Marcos Mancini, Global Head of Financial Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Sustainable Finance Hub, UNDP; and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations Do Hung Viet.
Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung thanked UNDP for its support to Da Nang in recent years, particularly in innovation, circular economy, green transformation, climate change adaptation, and sustainable urban development.
He said the city hoped to deepen cooperation with UNDP, especially in mobilizing international resources, accessing advanced models and standards, and implementing initiatives that can contribute to the city’s socio-economic development.
In reply, UN Assistant Secretary-General Marcos Athias Neto spoke highly of Da Nang's development orientation toward green growth, sustainability and innovation.
He also affirmed that UNDP is ready to continue supporting the city in promoting activities for sustainable development.
As part of the working session, a ceremony was held to announce that VIFC-DN had become a member of the Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S), a network coordinated by UNDP.
Joining FC4S from the early stage of VIFC-DN’s development is expected to help the center access international experience, standards and best practices in green and sustainable finance, while expanding links with financial centers, institutions and international investors.
Earlier, on September 23 and 24, 2026, in Texas (the USA), the Da Nang delegation met with leaders of Dallas City, HAS Corporation, and Arbin Instruments.
The meeting with the Dallas city government was chaired by Ms. Linda McMahon, Head of Economic Development for Dallas.
The two sides discussed potential areas of cooperation, including finance and fintech; semiconductors, AI and innovation; aviation, logistics and supply chains; investment and trade; and education and human resource training.
Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung proposed exploring the establishment of formal cooperation between the two cities.
He also asked for a helping hand from the Dallas government to connect Da Nang with corporations, businesses and investors in Dallas and North Texas, especially those involved in hi-tech, semiconductors, AI, data centers, logistics and international services.
Mr. Hung also introduced the potential and development orientations of Da Nang's High-Tech Park, Free Trade Zone and centralized Digital Technology Zone.
For her part, Ms. Linda McMahon agreed to maintain exchanges and strengthen connections between the two cities.
She also proposed several areas of cooperation suited to each side's potential, strengths and development needs.
When meeting with HAS Development Corporation, chaired by its Chairman and CEO Agustin Arellano, the two sides discussed the investment environment, development orientations for Da Nang's functional zones, and HAS's investment and business prospects in Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region.
Da Nang asked HAS to share its experience and study models for developing airport systems, logistics and Airport City/Aerotropolis models.
The city also invited HAS to explore opportunities to invest in, operate and develop Da Nang International Airport, Chu Lai Airport and airport-linked economic ecosystems.
Also on September 23, the delegation had a working session with Arbin Instruments, chaired by Chairman of Arbin Instruments Chaojiong Zhang.
The two parties updated the company's investment plans in Da Nang, focusing on the scale, technology, products, infrastructure requirements and expected implementation schedule.
They also discussed the possibility of developing a production facility in Da Nang linked to R&D activities, technical training and cooperation with universities and technology companies.
In addition, they reviewed issues related to investment procedures and agreed on the next steps for implementation.
The working trip to the United States opened up a number of specific cooperation opportunities between Da Nang and its partners in investment, finance, high technology, aviation, logistics and sustainable development.
These outcomes provide a foundation for the city to continue promoting investment opportunities, mobilizing international resources, and concretizing cooperation commitments in the coming period.