The meeting, themed “ASEAN-China Cooperation on Industrial and Supply Chains,” took place in Da Nang.

During the meeting, delegates analyzed new trends in the shifting industrial and supply chains. They discussed the opportunities and challenges facing ASEAN and China, providing several recommendations to further promote cooperation between the two sides.

Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang, Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, noted that ASEAN has been China’s largest trading partner for four consecutive years since 2020.

ASEAN and China are currently at a crucial juncture, facing three significant challenges: increasing fragmentation of the global economy, existential threats from climate change and environmental degradation, and the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. However, the ASEAN-China partnership can seize opportunities by leveraging their shared strengths in manufacturing, technology, and human resources.

Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang highlighted Vietnam’s clear economic priorities amid this context. The country is focused on attracting high-quality, efficient, and sustainable foreign direct investment (FDI), and actively promoting high-tech and innovative projects.

“Vietnam aims to make Da Nang and many coastal cities key transshipment points in the ASEAN-China supply chain network,” Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang added.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh emphasized that Da Nang has implemented numerous policies to establish itself as a vital hub in the Southeast Asian and Chinese supply chains.

Key areas of development include information technology, electronics, telecommunications linked to the digital economy, semiconductor manufacturing, and artificial intelligence applications. Da Nang is mobilizing all resources to develop Lien Chieu Port into a gateway port for the logistics supply chain into ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region.

Da Nang is the first locality in Vietnam permitted to establish a Free Trade Zone to pilot policies on investment attraction, trade, and logistics. According to Minh, this initiative is a crucial driver, enabling Da Nang to make significant strides in becoming a major socio-economic center in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Minh said that the meeting provided an opportunity for scholars to discuss, share insights, and propose strategic solutions to enhance participation in the supply chain, promoting the production and consumption of goods. Following this meeting, the city hopes that many partners and businesses will explore investment and business cooperation opportunities in Da Nang.

Dieu Thuy