Da Nang, well known for its silky white sand beaches and resorts with the majestic Truong Son mountains in the background, welcomes the leaders of 21 member economies as the host city of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week.

President Xi Jinping arrived on Friday. After his attendance at the 25th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, he will also make a state visit to Vietnam as part of his first overseas trip after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

To welcome Xi and other leaders, the Han River running across the city is resplendent with glittering lights.

The Dragon Bridge, the longest bridge in Vietnam, crosses the river and offers a dazzling display of lights during the week. The six-lane, 666-meter bridge was built in the shape of a golden dragon. According to local beliefs that date back to the country's Ly Dynasty (1009-1225), the dragon is a significant symbol of power, nobility and good fortune, much like the dragon's significance in China.

"China and Vietnam have been in a close relationship for many years. Our local people are expecting the visit of President Xi and believe the two sides will have more connections in trade and bilateral investment," Chi Thong Ma, a reporter at Ho Chi Minh City Television, told China Daily.

"We also expect to see the meeting between President Xi and our country's leaders, and will wait for the results that will be achieved," he said.

Chi said he hopes the Chinese leader has a taste of pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, and he is also looking forward to seeing the leaders wearing ao dai, traditional silk Vietnamese clothing, when they take the APEC group photo.

Sun Xiao, director general of the Department of Cooperation and Development of the China Chamber of International Commerce, said that the Vietnamese government has arranged for officers who speak fluent Chinese to take charge of coordination work with the Chinese delegation, including accommodations, transportation and registration.

Tu Minh, an old fisherman living in Da Nang, said that never before have the city's residents experienced such excitement as that caused by the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders' Week.

"When I learned the coastal city would welcome the APEC economies' leaders with thousands of foreign officials and journalists coming to discuss the big issues of the world, I felt very proud," he said.

chenjia@chinadaily.com.cn