Binh Duong’s strategic orientation for planning: Breakthrough vision in many fields

On March 9, provincial People's Committee coordinated with Becamex IDC to organize a scientific workshop on provincial strategic orientation for planning during the period of 2021-2031, with a vision to 2050. The event was attended by Mai Hung Dung, member of provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice-Chairman of provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Van Hung, CEO of Becamex IDC; Pham Ngoc Thuan, General Director of Becamex IDC; leaders of departments and sectors in the province.

Transforming industrial and service ecosystems

At the workshop, Dr. Huynh The Du's research team presented a consulting project on planning construction for Binh Duong province in the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. Accordingly, the project integrates 6 pillars in 37 provincial planning tasks, proposes a model of 6 pillars and 9 planning objectives while giving the process and tools for space and infrastructure planning. According to the research team, the current challenges of Binh Duong are that the province’s systems of health, education and traffic are not on par with the local development. High development urbanization, expansion mainly based on land transfer in a short time leads to challenges in land use, environment and society. There are also challenges in space transformation…

Mai Hung Dung, member of provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice-Chairman of provincial People's Committee at the workshop

The research team proposed 5 goals of transforming the industrial and service ecosystem in space by defining specific goals to create new energy sources and new technologies, organizing new spaces and business models. Binh Duong needs to change its mindset with prioritizing the development of public, non-motorized and green transport. The research team also proposed a way to deploy, a strategy of two engines such as building visions, strategies and plans for development…In particular, the project's goal is that by 2050, Binh Duong will become a civilized and smart city under the central management. According to the research team, Binh Duong is the province with the most successful "special economic zone" model in Vietnam. It is among the country’s localities with the most developed and sophisticated industrial compounds, with solid development foundations and opportunities to climb up value-added ladders.

Improving economic models

In terms of the logical framework and integrated strategic content for the planning of Binh Duong province, the consulting unit of the National Institute for Urban and Rural Planning presented 7 steps of the logical framework, including researching on project approach; getting the actual situation - database - identifying development resources; making allocation for development space, dynamic spatial structures; realizing the organization of territory space...The unit also proposed to develop large spatial structures such as the TOD dynamic urban chain, the intellectual city connecting Thu Duc city and the Binh Duong Innovation Region under the dynamic of the Eastern region. The province needs to transform urban and industrial service infrastructure facilities into service ones for the masses, based on the fast traffic dynamic of BRG and Metro Suoi Tien - Binh Duong smart city from the 3rd and 4th belt dynamics; make transformation of infrastructure systems for smart city development to the ones for multimodal city; digitize space to manage development under technology…

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Thuc from the Institute of Settlement Research under the Ha Noi National University, Binh Duong needs to reorganize functional areas and land, have a land fund to develop high-speed and reasonable public transport to bring higher added value for real estate and services, switch to the Southern knowledge economy, take advantage of the opportunity on regional connectivity in the belt 3; establish a space for Binh Duong’s history, culture and people as the foundation for development; carry out in-depth development for existing industrial - urban - service ecosystem to take advantage of the opportunity to connect the belt 4; transforming urban models (new city - smart city - multimodal city); implement comprehensive digital transformation on provincial territorial development management model.

Speaking at the seminar, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Head of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, Binh Duong should be placed in the regional space, locating, shaping and solving fundamental factors, creating a motivation for development in the future; take advantage of regional advantages for the local development. Binh Duong needs to pay special attention to regional linkages to create strength, breakthroughs while needing linking resources.

Addressing the workshop, Mr. Dung thanked the consulting unit for its contributive ideas emphasizing the meaning and importance of the province’s strategic planning work. He also spoke highly of the opinions of experts and research groups on Binh Duong while wanting that the province will continue receiving contributive ideas in the coming time.

Assoc. Prof-Dr. Tran Dinh Thien: Binh Duong does not stop at the concept of an industrial and service complex, but needs to switch to smart city development. In the coming time, Binh Duong's development ecosystem must be a smart and creative regional development ecosystem based on digital technology. Human resources are mainly intellectual creative resources with guaranteed space which is the No. 1 factor and structure. Binh Duong will develop as an open, transparent society, converging regional strengths.

Dr. Tran Du Lich: The development of Binh Duong must be placed in the economic quadrilateral relationship, based on mass equality, with an appropriate mechanism, which will become a driving force for development in the southern region and in the whole country. The economic quadrangle needs to be developed on the basis of production force distribution plans that need to be coordinated with localities; speed up the progress of construction of streets connecting the region, belt 3, belt 4; set up a common labor market for the whole region; solve issues on environment. If we can do these things, I believe that Binh Duong is a place with the best development in the next 10 years.

Nguyen Van Hung, CEO of Becamex IDC: Consulting units and experts have studied Binh Duong very deeply, very closely to reality, showing the foundation, goal, breakthrough of Binh Duong in the future. During the past 20 - 30 years, Binh Duong took advantage of its geographical location bordering Ho Chi Minh City, creating a driving force for industrial development. The province also took advantage of relationship, share with other countries, especially Singapore in order to develop urban-service infrastructure systems, attracting human resources. Binh Duong must build up a smart city, a new ecosystem and be always dynamic and creative. Binh Duong needs to overcome the middle-income trap and maintain its growth rate, so it is necessary for consulting units to make planning that follows reality and synchronous planning. The planning must be effective, creating a foundation for Binh Duong to have spectacular breakthroughs in development. This is also a model in the future. I hope that this planning meets the requirements of Binh Duong, a bright spot contributing to the development of the southern key economic zone."

Reported by Phuong Le-Translated by Kim Tin