Dr.Mai Huu Tin, Chairman of Binh Duong Business Federation: Arousing the strength of culture to foster Binh Duong

After 25 years of construction and development, Binh Duong is further talking many solutions to raise the level of socio-economic development. Talking to Binh Duong Newspaper, Dr. Mai Huu Tin, Chairman of provincial Business Federation said that in order to build up a more civilized and comprehensive Binh Duong with human values, culture must be considered as endogenous strength, great spiritual motivation. The stature of a city is not only economic strength, but also culture, knowledge, art, environment...

- After 25 years of construction and development, Binh Duong’s economic scale has grown, can you tell us about achievements done by Binh Duong?

- The position and achievements of Binh Duong today are the results bearing the imprint of wisdom, the courage to create, make breakthroughs and the drastic and effective implementation of leaders and people throughout each development stage. Currently, Binh Duong holds many top positions in Vietnam in terms of FDI attraction, domestic revenue, payment to the central State budget, trade surplus... Above all, both locals and immigrant workers now have the same opportunity to enjoy fruits from development in Binh Duong. That shows the determination, potential and successes of the province. Possibly speaking, the results achieved today help Binh Duong be optimistic about its position in the future.

- Binh Duong has made breakthrough changes in many aspects, building up an equal investment climate for all economic sectors. As an entrepreneur of Binh Duong, what do you think about this, sir?

- In 1998, I established U&I Company, the parent company of more than 60 subsidiaries, with more than 20,000 employees. Also because of the impact of solidarity and community responsibility stemming from the forebears, the name of the company is like that, with the Vietnamese meaning of You & I and the company's slogan is the interests of customers first. I say this to mention another thing that I deeply understand over many years of investing in many parts of the country: It is only where the consensus and cohesion of the three forces of the State, enterprises and people kept at a high level, then there will be real development and serious investment. Why? Because then everyone feels that their rights are respected and of course, it is the responsibility to maintain the fairness.

After 25 years of construction and development, Binh Duong today has a completely different role in the national economy. Binh Duong has become a real economic force, a powerful voice in all organizations and major forums. Binh Duong-based large enterprises have developed their branches in many provinces and cities at home and abroad. Like all people in Binh Duong, I am extremely proud when I mention Becamex IDC, VSIP, Minh Long…Binh Duong’s businesses make contributions, are respected, and have a sense of keeping their promise. This is an achievement we need to preserve and develop.

- In your opinion, what should Binh Duong do to develop sustainably in the coming time?

 - As an economic engine with very deep integration and a locality with continuous trade surplus to help balance the national balance of payments, Binh Duong cannot stand alone, but must build fine relations with neighboring localities, with central agencies so that it can always handle related issues closely, quickly and effectively.

To reach sustainable development, I think Binh Duong needs to add some tools to increase management capacity. The Singapore Land Administration (SLA) and the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) are very good models for the cadastral, planning and construction sectors of Binh Duong. Temasek of Singapore or the National Investment Fund of Norway are also very good models for us to learn from. If there is a problem with the law, we can propose to change the law. I believe that the collective wisdom of Binh Duong people is enough for us to look broadly, compare ourselves with the management methods of the best cities in the world, and adjust so that Binh Duong escapes from the meaning in the name of a flat place in the original sense to becomes a place of peace and development.

- In many exchanges and discussions about Binh Duong's internal preparation for integration and development in the new period, do you always emphasize the cultural factor in development?

- Yes, Binh Duong sets a vision to 2045 as a smart city of the region and the whole country. In order to build up a more civilized and comprehensive Binh Duong with human values, culture must be considered as endogenous strength, great spiritual motivation. People with humanity use reasons and science as the basis for decision-making, which is a key factor in making progress. Through social institutions, people contribute ideas and wisdom, express their patriotism and contribute to the development of the place where they live, so they are increasingly valuable in a civilized city.

A good vision is the one that motivates, creates desire, and of course has the potential to come true. If being allowed to interpret Binh Duong's vision as a smart city in 2045, I hope that Binh Duong city maintains its top 5 position in terms of prosperity (measured by GDP per capita) and also in terms of culture (measured through surveying people's happiness). I hope that along socio-economic targets during the tenure, the province’s incumbent leaders will identify these specific long-term goals, make them a guideline and an action order for all officials, public employees, people and entrepreneurs in the province. When those orders come from love and responsibility to the province, each of us will have more strength to complete. This because there is no greater command than the one from the heart.

- Thank you very much!

Reported by Ngoc Thanh-Translated by Kim Tin