Efforts to the highest growth

Late September 29, Tran Thanh Liem, Deputy Secretary of Provincial Party Committee cum Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee chaired the regular meeting of Provincial People’s Committee in September 2020 to approve socio-economic and national-defense reports in 9 months of 2020 with orientation and tasks for the rest 3 months of 2020. Attending the session was Nguyen Thanh Truc, Deputy Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee and its members.

Tran Thanh Liem, Deputy Secretary of Provincial Party Committee cum Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee is addressing the session

High achievements in various fields

By evaluation of Provincial People's Committee, in the first 9 months of 2020, the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic has affected almost all industries and fields in the province. Staying focused on drastically implementation of the Central's directing documents on the realization of dual goals of preventing and combating epidemics versus promoting socio-economic development to quickly establish a new normal state, of the socio-economic situation of the province still at stable growth, of maintained political security, social order and safety.

The results of 9 months of 2020 showed that total investment capital for social development was estimated at VND 88,575 billion, increasing by 10.2% over the same period; of the increment, the State capital was accounted for 11.6%, increasing by 15.8%; non-state capital was accounted for 41%, increasing by 9.7%; and foreign investment capital was accounted for 47.4%, increasing by 9.3%. In addition to the delight that enterprises have stabilized their production during the epidemic, the whole province had 1,029 new industrial enterprises put to operations. All has contributed to elevating the industrial production index of the first nine months to an estimated number of 6.74% over the same period in 2019 which was 9.12%.

As of September 15, the whole provincial authority has attracted VND 52,464 billion of domestic investment capital (increasing by 18.3% over the same period), including 4,609 newly registered enterprises and 984 additional enterprises that helped to increase the capital. Foreign investment has also shown impressive results. By September 15, the provincial authority has attracted USD 1.204 billion (reaching 86% of the plan and being equal to 50% over the same period), including 100 new projects (USD 475 million) from 18 countries, regions, and territories.

The efforts of maintaining markets have been coupled with effective demand emulation, total retails and services in nine months were estimated to gain VND 185,805 billion, increasing by 10.9% over the same period. The average consumption index of 9 months increased by 3.2% over the same period. Exportation revenue was estimated at USD 14.941 billion, increasing by 3.9%. Trade surplus was nearly USD 4.5 billion.

Along with economic development, the social security and welfare have been regularly taken care of. The policies and offer to people of national contribution and social privileges, the poor and working people in holidays have been thoroughly implemented. The provincial authority has mobilized various resources to benefit social privileged people, the poor, families of national contribution, and those people affected by Covid-19. Up to date, labor market of the province has changed to positive direction as many enterprises are in need of large number of working people.

In nine months of 2020, the medical department has made great efforts in preventing Covid-19 with determination and timely reaction without any neglecting actions that may cause Covid-19 community spread. The department has prepared various schemes of reaction in various situations with tight supervision of foreign entries and those people from pandemic area for testing and medical monitoring. Up to date, no cases of Covid-19 positive have been discovered in the community. The department has timely resolved the entries of working people and foreigners working in the province. This is the factor to maintain local socio-economic status, especially in terms of production and business operations under stable conditions and mitigation of effects on people’s lives. As for education, Binh Duong province was highlighted as brilliant locality during the national high school graduation examination of 2020.

Overcoming challenges

Despite the outstanding success, the disease situation continues to progress complicatedly, creating unpredictable risks and challenges. Data from the National General Statistics Office showed that the gross domestic product of the province (GRDP) in the first 6 months of 2020 increased by 7.16% over the same period, and was estimated to increase by 6.78% in 2020. Of the statistics, agriculture, forestry and fishery increased by 2.51%; industry and construction rose by 7.13%; services rose by 7.26%; product tax minus product subsidies increased by 4.53%, making the completion of the GRDP growth target in 2020 (increasing by 8.5%) a real challenge for the province.

As for the disbursement of public investment capital, although Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee has regularly monitored and directed, up to now, most of the projects are in the stage of tender invitation, construction drawing design, and cost estimate. The work volume was concentrated mainly in the transition works, so the disbursement was lower than the same period. As of September 15, the total disbursement value of public investment capital was VND 3,772.3 billion, meeting 25.3% of the plan (31.9% of the plan in previous term). Of the increment, the central budget capital met 32% of the plan; the local budget capital met 25% of the plan and so on. To promote disbursement according to the plan, Nguyen Thanh Truc, Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee directed departments and functional branches to accelerate the implementation and disbursement of public investment, the work of compensation, site clearance, and commencement of constructions. At the same time, the Department of Planning and Investment has urgently developed the socio-economic development plan, the State budget estimate, and the 2021 public investment plan in October 2020.

Addressing the meeting, Tran Thanh Liem, Chairman of Provincial People's Committee requested that in the last months of the year, departments and localities should continue to take measures to at the same time prevent and combat the epidemic for socio-economic development and recovery, striving to achieve the highest growth rate. Particularly, fully implementation of policies and solutions to support businesses, to solve difficulties, and to promote production and business in each industry and field should be focused on; programs and plans to stimulate consumption demand should be developed; tourism, retail, and transportation should be developed among others. Industries were required to implement solutions to regulate State budget revenues and expenditures in 2020 with the spirit of thrift and effectiveness; and to proactively implement solutions to tax exemption and reduction, loan interest rate reduction, debt freezing and debt rescheduling according to regulations. For the fields of research and implementation of the Investment Law 2020, solutions to the problems of investors and condition preparation to welcome the new investment wave should be focused on. Concurrently, the direction of good preparation of contents for submission to the meeting of the provincial People's Council at the end of 2020 should be made along with well implementation of the contents and work in preparation for the 11th Provincial Party Congress of 2020-2025 tenure.

Reported by Tieu My – Translated by Vi Bao