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| Thai Nguyen is viewing cultural diplomacy as a "soft leverage" to expand foreign relations, increase investment attractiveness, and promote tourism development. In the photo: A highlight of the art program at the opening night of the " Thai Nguyen - Fragrance and Beauty of Famous Tea 2025" festival. |
Cultural diplomacy: the "key" to attracting investment.
As the economic , educational, and industrial center of the northern midland and mountainous region, Thai Nguyen is viewing cultural diplomacy as a "soft leverage" to expand foreign relations, increase investment attractiveness, promote tourism, and affirm its position in Vietnam's increasingly deep international integration network.
In recent years, Thai Nguyen has emerged as a locality with dynamic and substantive foreign relations activities. Beyond simply signing memoranda of understanding, the province has proactively built a multilateral cooperation network with diplomatic agencies, international organizations, business associations, and foreign local governments. These initiatives are also implemented in conjunction with programs promoting culture, festivals, and tourism, creating a dual effect in attracting investment and developing the local brand.
By 2025, the province had established cooperative relationships with more than 20 countries and territories, including many strategic partners such as South Korea, Japan, the United States, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and several ASEAN countries. These relationships not only focus on attracting investment but also extend to education and training, science and technology, healthcare, culture, and tourism.
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| Thai Nguyen is one of the most successful localities in the northern region in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). |
The figures on foreign direct investment (FDI) clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the overall foreign policy strategy. The province currently has 244 active FDI projects, with a total registered capital of over US$11.3 billion, placing Thai Nguyen among the top 10 localities nationwide in attracting FDI. Notably, Korean businesses account for over 70% of the total FDI capital, forming a large-scale electronics and high-tech industrial ecosystem, with Samsung Group as its core.
The South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Choi Young Sam, assessed: Thai Nguyen is one of the most successful localities in the northern region in attracting FDI. The province provides a stable and friendly investment environment, with synchronized electricity and logistics infrastructure. I believe that cooperation between the two sides will continue to expand, not only in electronics manufacturing but also in high value-added industries and innovation.
Behind the large-scale capital flows and projects lies a fundamental element that is not immediately apparent: the local image and the trust of partners. This is the space where cultural diplomacy can play its role, building goodwill, strengthening trust, and maintaining long-term cooperative relationships, while also contributing to enhancing the brand recognition and international prestige of Thai Nguyen in the long term.
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| A delegation from the Sichuan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (China) visited and worked in Thai Nguyen province. During this visit, businesses from both provinces pledged to strengthen connections and develop strategies for investment and business cooperation in the future. (Photo: Provided) |
"Soft" resources rich in unique identity
Thai Nguyen is a locality that fully embodies the cultural layers of the Viet Bac region. With a population of nearly 1.8 million people, the province possesses a diverse and rich cultural treasure, deeply rooted in the identity of the midland and mountainous regions. Currently, Thai Nguyen has more than 1,000 historical and cultural relics that have been inventoried, of which nearly 400 are classified at the national and provincial levels.
Particularly noteworthy are the ATK Dinh Hoa National Special Historical Site and the ATK Cho Don National Special Historical Site, which are closely associated with historically significant decisions made by the nation during the resistance war against French colonialism. The ATK area is not only a historical heritage but also a symbol of Vietnamese resilience, intelligence, and spirit, possessing special value in promoting the image of the nation and the locality.
Besides tangible heritage, Thai Nguyen also possesses many intangible cultural heritages that have been ranked nationally, such as: the Nôm script of the Dao people, the art of traditional costume making and embroidery; the folk singing of the Tay people; the Tắc Xình dance, Sấng Cọ singing, and the harvest festival of the San Chay ethnic group; the Lồng Tồng festival of the Tay people… These are living cultural values, reflecting the spiritual life, beliefs, and indigenous knowledge of the ethnic communities.
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| In recent years, Thai Nguyen has not only focused on preservation but has also gradually integrated its heritage into contemporary life and foreign relations activities. Traditional folk songs such as then, sang co, and tac xinh have appeared in many cultural exchange programs, festivals, and tourism promotion activities. |
It is noteworthy that in recent years, Thai Nguyen has not only focused on preservation but has also gradually integrated its heritage into contemporary life and international relations. The then, sang co, and tac xinh dances have appeared in many cultural exchange programs, festivals, and international events, becoming a "soft language" to tell the story of the people and identity of Thai Nguyen to international friends.
In Thai Nguyen's cultural diplomacy ecosystem, tea holds a special place. More than just a key agricultural product, Tan Cuong tea has become a cultural symbol, deeply intertwined with the lifestyle, customs, and spirit of the local people.
The province currently has over 24,000 hectares of tea plantations, with an annual production of approximately 270,000 tons, including many famous tea-growing regions such as Tan Cuong, La Bang, Trai Cai, and Khe Coc. Many tea products have received OCOP 4-5 star certification, meeting the requirements for export to demanding markets such as the EU, the United States, and Japan.
Events such as the "Thai Nguyen - Fragrance and Beauty of Famous Tea" festival, tea culture spaces, and honoring artisans have helped Thai Nguyen tea transcend its ordinary commodity value, becoming a means of cultural communication and contributing to positioning the local image in the minds of tourists and international partners.
Driving force for sustainable development
A rare advantage of Thai Nguyen is the harmonious combination of cultural heritage and nature. The province boasts Ba Be Lake – a special national natural heritage site with pristine beauty, likened to the "green gem" of the Viet Bac region; and Nui Coc Lake – a large artificial lake, associated with legends and landscapes dubbed the "Ha Long Bay on land".
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| Ba Be Lake is one of the two key tourism development areas of Thai Nguyen province for the period 2026-2030, according to Project No. 17-DA/TU. |
These spaces are not only tourism resources but also a foundation for developing ecotourism and community-based tourism linked to cultural diplomacy – a trend pursued by many countries and localities around the world. The combination of culture, history, and nature has created a strong impetus for tourism in Thai Nguyen. By 2025, the province is expected to welcome over 7.3 million visitors, with tourism revenue estimated at nearly 7,447 billion VND, an impressive increase compared to previous years, reflecting the effectiveness of the tourism development strategy based on cultural identity.
Community-based tourism in Dinh Hoa, Vo Nhai, Dong Hy, Ba Be, and Na Ri districts is increasingly attracting tourists thanks to experiences of local life, traditional cuisine, and unique ecological spaces. This model is also highly valued for its sustainability, as the people become the main stakeholders, directly benefiting from their own cultural heritage.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, a lecturer at the Viet Bac College of Culture and Arts: Cultural diplomacy is not just about performing or showcasing heritage, but about the process of conveying the identity, people, and spirit of the locality. That is how Thai Nguyen steps out to the world with confidence and its own unique values.
In practice, cultural diplomacy is helping Thai Nguyen shift from a one-sided promotional mindset to a comprehensive marketing strategy, in which culture leads and forms the foundation for investment cooperation, tourism, and international exchange.
With the motto "government as a partner - businesses as the central focus - people as the main actors," Thai Nguyen is gradually asserting its image as a dynamic, friendly, culturally rich, and open-to-integration locality. Cultural diplomacy has therefore become a strategic asset, enhancing the province's "soft power" and competitiveness in the new development phase.
From its long-standing cultural values to its aspirations for innovation, Thai Nguyen opens its doors to integration through culture, develops through knowledge, and sustains through its identity, becoming a trusted destination for international friends on the map of cooperation and development.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY CHANNELS IN THAI NGUYEN: Traditional culture ███████████ 35% Travel ██████████ 30% Festivals & Events ████████ 20% OCOP product/tea ███████ 15% (Based on the assessment of provincial promotional activities in 2025) |
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202601/suc-manh-mem-lan-toa-hinh-anh-thai-nguyen-ef8328e/
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