New vitality on old battlefields

Part 1: Tan Uyen young city

Referring to Tan Uyen city is to remember the famous places in the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists with resounding feats that have gone into history. Today, inheriting and promoting the glorious revolutionary historical tradition, the Party, government, army and people of Tan Uyen city are trying their best to build up a locality with vigorous development, worthy of its position being the gateway to connect the region, being the center of industry and service in the southern region of the province.

From the heroic war zone

In the historic April days, to celebrate the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2023), we had the opportunity to return to Tan Uyen city and hear revolutionary veterans telling about the glorious, resilient and heroic historical places of the revolution here. In the directive of the Party Central Committee dated December 25, 1945, the construction of the base was set out: "We must choose to station in strategic locations. The attack as well as the withdrawal plan must be very thoughtful…”. Following the direction of the Party Central Committee, on February 20, 1946, the 7th Division held a meeting in Lac An and decided to establish a resistance base in 5 communes of Tan Hoa, My Loc, Tan Tich, Thuong Lang, Lac An under Bien Hoa province’s Tan Uyen district, called War Zone D. D was the codename for the headquarters of the Zone 7. War Zone D was considered as a resistance center, the birthplace of the armed forces in the Southeastern region.

Tan Uyen young city is transforming and developing towards an economic center in the southern region of the province

During the resistance war against the French colonialists, War Zone D was one of the important bases of Party committees, authorities and military command agencies in many neighboring districts and provinces, even the Zone 7 and Inter-regional division of the East and the South. This was also the birthplace of armed units in the early days of the resistance, namely the 1st Battalion, 10th Battalion, Regiment 301... During the resistance war against the US imperialists, War Zone D was the place for the leading organs of the Party, armed forces at all levels to build and develop. This was also the starting point of the 12-day campaign (from April 9 to 21, 1975) to liberate Long Khanh town, smashing the Xuan Loc steel door - the last line of defense of the Saigon puppet government, paving the way for the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completely liberating the South and reunifying the country.

During nearly 30 years (1946-1975), War Zone D was a milestone in the heroic history of "the hard-working-but-heroic East". And, the old Tan Uyen district, with its steadfast and indomitable patriotic tradition, together with the army and people of the whole country, fought bravely, overcoming hardships, establishing glorious victories, contributing to the common victory of the nation, making the historic Spring Victory on April 30, 1975, liberating the South and reunifying the country.

City of faith and aspiration

After the liberation of the South and reunification of the country, after 48 years of construction and development, from a purely agricultural district with very heavy consequences left by the war, Tan Uyen, with the spirit of solidarity, determination, great efforts, the Party, government and people, overcame many difficulties and challenges to build up a more and more beautiful, civilized and modern locality. Up to now, Tan Uyen city has developed and achieved many impressive results, with the average economic growth rate of about 12.57% per year. In 2022 alone, Tan Uyen city attracted additional 287 domestic enterprises with total registered capital of VND 989 billion, 10 foreign-invested enterprises with total registered capital of US$ 54.43 million.

Currently, Tan Uyen city has 2 industrial parks, 3 industrial compounds with 1,866 domestic enterprises, total registered capital of more than VND 32.56trillion; 637 FDI enterprises, with total registered capital of more than US$5.29 billion. The local economic structure has shifted strongly towards industry - trade, service - agriculture with the proportions of 64.17% - 34.60% - 1.23% respectively. Tan Uyen city currently has 2 Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) projects that are the largest of Binh Duong and the whole country, namely VSIP II with 2,045 hectares and VSIP III with more than 1,000 hectares, with total investment of  more than VND 6.4 trillion. Along with that, the local people's quality of life has been improved constantly with no poor households under the central poverty line. The proportion of population participating in health insurance has reached 91.52%; there are 100% of pupils with high school graduation, 95.4% of pupils passing university and college examinations...

With achievements in construction and development, on February 13, 2023, the National Assembly Standing Committee issued the Resolution No. 725/NQUBTVQH15 on the establishment of Tan Uyen city under Binh Duong province. According to the People's Committee of Tan Uyen city, in the period of 2021-2025, the city determines to develop in the direction of industrial - service - urban - urban agriculture development, with focus on promoting trade and service development, creating a foundation for it to become an urban service center after 2025 and setting the overall goal of building and developing it into a major center in the south of the province in industry, service, commerce, finance, culture - tourism.

Doan Hong Tuoi, Chairman of Tan Uyen city People's Committee said that inheriting and promoting achievements and experience gained in the past time, Tan Uyen city will further improve the quality of planning, management, urban development in association with urban economic development, aiming at turning it into an industrial-service-urban ecological agriculture city. Specifically, the city will further promote administrative reform, strengthen the application of science and technology, digital transformation and improve service quality for people and businesses. The city will develop Bach Dang and Thanh Hoi communes into the main agricultural production areas under the urban ecological agriculture model. The city's functional subdivision includes the maintenance and production zone of existing industrial zones and compounds; service areas (comprising of Mekong - Golf - Villa eco-tourism area on Bach Dang island, culture and sports parks in lowland areas along the Dong Nai river); commercial centers, markets in Khanh Binh, Uyen Hung, Thai Hoa and Tan Hiep wards... The city will further perfect its internal transport system, make planning for 2 coach stations, develop waterway traffic, port systems... Along with that, the city will further improve the quality of healthcare, education, and promote socialization in the socio-cultural fields; well implement social welfare policies…

Reported by Do Trong-Translated by Kim Tin