Binh Duong attends 14th conference on industrial promotion for southern localities

On the afternoon of October 10, the Department of Local Industry and Trade in collaboration with Kien Giang provincial Department of Industry and Trade organized the 14th conference on industrial promotion for southern localities in 2024 in Phu Quoc city in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

The conference was chaired by Ngo Quang Trung, Head of the Department of Local Industry and Trade, and attended by representatives from various departments, bureaus and institutes under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. From the local level, Truong Van Minh, Director of Kien Giang provincial Department of Industry and Trade, along with representatives from industrial promotion units of 20 provinces and cities in the Southern region, were present. For Binh Duong province, there were Nguyen Thanh Ha, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Industry and Trade; Nguyen Thuy Hang, Director of provincial Center for Trade Promotion and Industrial Development, along with officials in charge of industrial promotion.

The conference is co-chaired by Ngo Quang Trung, Head of the local Department of Industry & Trade and Truong Van Minh, Director of Kien Giang provincial Department of Industry and Trade

Discussion on solutions for rural industrial development

Speaking at the conference, Ngo Quang Trung, Head of the local Department of Industry and Trade stated that industrial promotion policies in recent years have been implemented consistently and seriously, receiving attention from all-level authorities and sectors and, from direction to guidance on implementation.

In 2024, industrial promotion efforts will enter the acceleration phase of the National Industrial Promotion Program for the 2021-2025 period, approved under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1881/QĐ-TTg as well as local industrial promotion programs issued by localities.

Ngo Quang Trung, Head of  the Department of Local Industry and Trade speaks at the conference

Despite ongoing challenges caused by the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and the macroeconomic effects of global political and economic conflicts, industrial promotion has played a crucial role in supporting rural industrial enterprises and facilities in overcoming difficulties, restoring business operations for stability and development.

To continue effectively implementing industrial promotion activities and contribute to driving rural industrial development in the new context, Mr.Trung urged delegates to actively contribute their ideas and focus on discussing the following key points:

-Evaluating the achievements of industrial promotion efforts in 2023 and the first nine months of 2024 in the Southern region; identifying shortcomings during implementation; determining causes to propose solutions.

-Identifying key tasks, effectively implementing and completing projects/assignments planned for the remaining months of the year.

-Sharing valuable experience and lessons learned from the practical organization of industrial promotion activities.

-Discussing and proposing specific, practical solutions to continue innovating and enhancing the efficiency of leadership and management as well as coordination between central and local levels to address issues arising from the practical implementation of industrial promotion activities.

Espencially, delegates were encouraged to propose general issues and perspectives on reforming policies and mechanisms, contributing opinions to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Department of Local Industry and Trade to offer theoretical and practical foundations for drafting and submitting amendments to Government’s Decree No. 45 on industrial promotion.

At the conference, delegates focused on discussing the current situation and the difficulties encountered during the implementation of industrial promotion activities over the past time…

Delegates discuss the current situation and challenges in implementing industrial promotion activities

Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Thanh Ha, Deputy Director of Binh Duong provincial Department of Industry and Trade highlighted achievements done by the province over the past time as well as  challenges in carrying out industrial promotion and several orientations, including provincial Planning for the period of 2021 and 2030 with a vision to 2050. By 2030, Binh Duong aims at becoming a centrally run city, one of the most dynamic and comprehensive development centers in Southeast Asia, taking the lead in science, technology and innovation as well as being a modern industrial-service hub, an educational and training center and a logistics center in the Southeastern region.

The implementation of encouraging the functional transformation and relocation of businesses located outside industrial zones and clusters in cities into designated industrial zones must ensure consensus and harmonize interests in the following order of priority: workers, businesses and the State.

To achieve this, appropriate support policies are necessary to ensure the consensus and voluntary participation of businesses. Among these, industrial promotion policies are the key in providing motivation, supporting and encouraging the functional transformation and relocation of businesses outside industrial zones and clusters (in cities) into designated industrial zones.

Therefore, Binh Duong provincial Department of Industry and Trade recommended that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has advised the Government to promptly issue a revised Decree amending certain provisions of the Decree No. 45/2012/ND-CP dated May 21, 2012; suggested that the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance to quickly issue guidance circulars to provide provincial People's Committee with a basis for advising provincial People's Council to pass a resolution on the local industrial promotion policies. These policies will serve as the driving force to facilitate and encourage the functional transformation and relocation of businesses outside industrial zones into industrial zones in the province.

Nguyen Thanh Ha, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Industry and Trade delivers a speech at the conference

Three Solutions to complete industrial promotion plan

In addition to the above mentioned achievements, Mr.Trung pointed out several existing shortcomings in the industrial promotion efforts of the southern provinces and cities.

Particularly, many localities have not been proactive in developing exemplary national industrial promotion projects to uphold their strengths and create a pervasive driving force in the development of local home industrial and industrial development. Although the budget for the program was approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, by the fourth quarter of 2024, the Ministry of Finance has only agreed to allocate 35% of the total budget for the 2024 national industrial promotion program. This delay has slowed the implementation of projects and tasks for localities and units, affecting the timeliness of industrial promotion policies in supporting rural industrial enterprises.

Several regulations have also created difficulties in implementing industrial promotion projects and tasks such as the task of distinguishing funding sources under State budget laws and public investment laws; requirements related to the bidding process for local industrial promotion activities and the fact that the implementation of national industrial promotion tasks as delegated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has not been rigorously followed by some local authorities yet, with instances of avoidance and reluctance to take responsibility. The effectiveness of industrial development consulting activities remains low and the dissemination of information about industrial promotion activities is still limited.

To complete industrial promotion plans for each locality and the entire region in the remaining months of 2024 and throughout 2025—the final year of the National and Local Industrial Promotion Programs for this phase—Mr. Trung emphasized several key points:

-Based on the contents of the National Industrial Promotion Program and Local Industrial Promotion Program for the phase to 2025 and following the guidelines for developing the 2025 industrial promotion plan by the Department of Local Industry and Trade, continuing effectively promoting key industrial promotion activities with a focus on priority areas, value chains and digital transformation; strengthening the inspection and monitoring of industrial promotion projects in the area.

-Continuing studying the Resolutions of the 13th Central Party Congress: the Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW on agriculture, farmers and rural areas; the Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW on further accelerating the industrialization and modernization of the country; the Prime Minister's Decision No. 165/QD-TTg approving the restructuring plan for the industry and trade sector for the phase until 2030 and the Prime Minister's Directive No. 103/CD-TTg dated October 7, 2024, on supporting businesses in overcoming difficulties and boosting production and business activities for the rest of 2024 and the following years.

Regarding the draft Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 45/2012/ND-CP on industrial promotion, in the coming time, the Department of Local Industry and Trade hopes to further receive positive participation and contributive ideas from localities and units to create favorable conditions to help the Department of Local Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Industry and Trade research and advise on perfecting mechanisms and policies on industrial promotion.

-Closely following the guidance views of Minister Nguyen Hong Dien at the Conference reviewing 10 years of implementing Decree No. 45/2012/ND-CP (The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Notice No. 09/TB-BCT dated January 9, 2024 on the Minister's instructions): Paying attention to increasing local State budget capital for industrial promotion activities; proactively reviewing local policy mechanisms to ensure consistency and feasibility; mobilizing and effectively using resources for home industrial and industrial development; promoting the selection and development of typical agricultural industrial products; strengthening the organizational structure for public service units under the Department of Industry and Trade to implement specific technical industrial promotion activities of the Industry and Trade sector; training and fostering a constingent of industrial promotion staff to become more professional and effective; strengthening coordination between departments, districts’ People's Committees, organizations and units; promoting propaganda work on industrial promotion activities.

Truong Van Minh, Director of Kien Giang provincial Department of Industry and Trade hands over the flag of the organizer of the 15th Industrial Promotion Conference for Southern localities to Tran Thanh Toan, Deputy Director of Long An provincial Department of Industry and Trade

Also at the conference, all delegates agreed to hand over the right to host the 15th industrial promotion conference for southern localities in 2025 to Long An provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

Reported by Hong Dao- Center for Trade Promotion and Consultation on Industrial Development-Translated by Kim Tin