Since being separated from Quang Nam-Danang province more than 25 years ago to form a small urban area on the Han River, Danang has gradually transformed into a standard urban area across many different criteria.

A quarter of a century ago, many districts consisted of shabby fishing villages and weeds, and ferries were mostly used to access them. Soon afterwards, Danang started to build the Han River Bridge to remove some barriers for transport. However, to develop the east bank of the river quickly and keep up with the central area of Danang, developing one bridge is not enough.

A decade ago, at a meeting with voters in Danang, Nguyen Ba Thanh, former Secretary of Danang Party Committee, said, “When I went to Seoul in South Korea, I saw that it also has a Han River, where there are six bridges for every kilometre. Meanwhile, in our city, we have only one bridge within 6km. If we want to develop the economy, we have to build more bridges.”

After this statement, a series of bridges were built step by step, including Dragon Bridge, Tran Thi Ly, Tuyen Son, Thuan Phuoc, Hoa Xuan, and Nguyen Tri Phuong.

Danang the jewel in central region crown

Major headways

The appearance of new bridges connecting the two banks of the Han River, along with investment in the coastal road system and Furama tourist resort, contributed to exploiting the huge tourism potential and changing the shape of urban infrastructure on the east bank of the Han River. In time, Danang switched from a poor fishing village to a billion-dollar tourist city with modern infrastructure.

On its journey to become a liveable city, bridges have not been the only focus. Budget resources have been used for more infrastructure projects to upgrade urban space, such as expanding Dien Bien Phu road, building overpasses at Hue intersection, the northwest road, and Nguyen Sinh Sac street. In addition, the city upgraded its airport, built underground tunnels in intersections with heavy traffic, and created new parks as well as cared for its clean and beautiful beaches.

By implementing a policy to attract talented people from across the country to build a friendly investment environment, Danang has gathered resources from brainpower to capital flow to help the city develop strongly and rapidly.

Vice Chairman of Danang People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh said, “After 25 years of becoming a centrally run city, Danang has made remarkable progress, gradually solidifying its position as a modern urban area for the nation. Tourism has also become a key economic sector with a series of investment and service projects meeting international standards, helping Danang gradually become an attractive, safe, and friendly destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.”

A liveable city

The concept of a liveable city is a goal that many cities around the world are aiming for through healthcare, education, sustainability, culture, environment, and infrastructure facilities.

This orientation continues to be identified in Danang’s plan towards 2030 and with a vision to 2050, which was given the green light earlier in November.

"The city must build civilised urban areas in order to attract intellectuals and experts to live and settle long term." ‑ Dr. Vo Tri Thanh Former deputy director, Central Institute for Economic Management

In the plan, the goal is to develop Danang into a livable city according to international standards, which can attract people with knowledge, skills, and potential to settle, invest, and do business in the city.

According to the general targets, Danang will become a major socioeconomic centre of the country and Southeast Asia, holding the role of a centre for entrepreneurship, innovation, tourism, commerce, finance, logistics, IT, and ancillary industries. It also strives to become a hub for culture, sports, education and training, and high-quality medical facilities.

The city is also expected to become a host of regional and international events; an international port city and coastal metropolis; an ecological, modern, and smart urban zone. The local government will take the lead in innovation and development, in attempts to ensure unparalleled living standards, as well as national defence and security.

Currently, the city has deployed or sought funding for seven key projects that will create motivation for the sustainable development of the city. These projects combine Lien Chieu Port; a complex of financial, commercial, entertainment, casino, and luxury apartment centres; the Danang Creative Space project; the International Trade Centre; an international hospital; a nursing home; and an international school.

At the same time, the city is also continuously discussing solutions to foster sustainability, both as a tourist city with many diverse experiences, and a leading city with world-class scale and amenities.

Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, former deputy director of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said that in order to keep up with the trend of liveable cities in the region, Danang needs to take action immediately. “The city must successfully build civilised urban areas in order to attract intellectuals and foreign experts to live and settle long term,” Thanh said.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, emphasised, “The driving force of Danang must be a driving force for international competition, not just compared to other cities and provinces in the country. In the upcoming time, the investment of eagles will contribute to shaping the development portrait of Danang.”