Particular and suitable policies needed for sustainable development in Binh Duong

In the afternoon of July 13, the delegation of the CPV Central Committee led by Mr. Nguyen Chi Dung, Member of the CPV Central Committee, Minister of Planning and Investment (MPI) and other ministries, agencies and central units had a working session in Binh Duong province on the implementation of Resolution No. 53-NQ/TW and Conclusion No. 27-KL/TW of the Politburo on socio-economic development and assurance of national defense and security in the Southeast region and the Southern key economic region by 2010 and orientation to 2020.

Overview of the working session of the central committee delegation with Binh Duong province in the afternoon of July 13

Strong economic growth

Working with the delegation was Mr. Nguyen Van Loi, Member of the CPV Central Committee, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Head of the provincial National Assembly Delegation; Mr. Nguyen Hoang Thao, Standing Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee; Mr. Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee and leaders of departments and localities. At the meeting, the delegates focused on objective and comprehensive evaluation of the results achieved from 2005 up to now, especially those decisive to socio-economic development, and ensuring national defense and security of Binh Duong province.

Mr. Vo Van Minh said that in 2005-2020, Binh Duong's socio-economic development has had encouraging growth. From a province mainly engaged in agricultural and handicraft production, Binh Duong has had a remarkable development with economic indicators that are dozens of times higher than the time when the province was split. The economy has grown at a high rate for many consecutive years.

The province's per capita income has also grown quite impressively over time. Specifically, the province's per capita income in 2020 was VND 7.02 million a month -  the highest in the country and 5.77 times higher than that in 2006 of the province which was VND 1.21 million at an average increase of 13.3% a year. The province's gross domestic product (GRDP) per capita in 2020 reached VND  151 million, which is 11.2 times higher than 2005 at VND 13.5 million, and an average increase of 17.5% a person and higher than the average level of the Southeast region and 2.5 times higher than the national average.

At present, the economic structure of Binh Duong is tending to become an industrial city with the proportion of industrial structure gaining 66.59%, trade and services 22.32% and agriculture 3. 17%. Specifically, by 2020, the scale of the province's industry had gained VND 259,419 billion, 27.32 times higher than in 2005, and an average increase of 24.67% per annum. For 1997-2010 alone, the industrial production value at 1994 constant prices was VND 560,462 billion, an average increase of 29.41% a year, in which, the processing and manufacturing industry VND 559,309 billion, an average increase of 29.87% a year. By 2011, the method of assessing the industrial growth index was the "Index of Industrial Production (IIP)" instead of the industrial production value at fixed prices in 1994. The index of industrial production (IIP) in 2005-2020 increased on average of 14.23% a year.

Associated with the development of industrial zones and clusters are densely developed residential areas with a large proportion of trade and services. Specifically, by 2020, the size of the service industry of the province has increased 20.7 times compared to 2005, an average increase of 22.4% a year. The labor force aged 15 and over working in the service industry accounts for 24.19% of the total number of employees working in the province, equivalent to about 394.7 thousand people. The province's export turnover in 2020 was USD 29.1 million, 9.55 times higher than in 2005, an average increase of 16.24% a year, accounting for about 8% of the total export turnover of the country; import turnover USD 23.05 million, 8.3 times higher than 2005 with average growth of 15.2% a year. The average trade surplus in 2005-2020 reached USD 2.7 billion per year.

Thanks to boldly transforming and restructuring agricultural economic models in the direction of high technology application, Binh Duong's agricultural economy, although accounting for a small proportion in the general economy of the province, has a high agricultural economic value. The local industry in 2020 has increased by about 9.87 times compared to 2005.

Suitable policies needed

After listening to representatives of Binh Duong province's leaders present the results achieved and the actual situation of the locality, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung highly appreciated the efforts of the province over the past time. The Minister said that the government is very interested and ready to support the development of the provinces in the southern key economic region. In order to ensure the development of localities in the right direction and in accordance with the planning in sync with the general planning of the region and the country, over the past time, the government has assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to develop resolution on supporting localities in the Southern key economic region to develop in the new stage instead of the previous Resolution No. 53-NQ/TW.

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said it is expected that by September, the Ministry of Planning and Investment would complete and submit to the government for approval before sharing and developing development orientations for localities. Regarding the proposal to consider the "specific mechanism" for Binh Duong, the Minister of Planning and Investment and the Central delegation also agreed with the local proposals. Accordingly, in order to continue developing, Binh Duong needs to apply a "special mechanism" and increase more investment capital in investment in upgrading and expanding the infrastructure system in terms of transportation and natural resources - environment, education, health care, social security housing, water supply and drainage works and so on.

In order to continue to become a pioneering flag in the strategy of sustainable economic development in the southern key economic region and the whole country, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung suggested that in the coming time, Binh Duong need to make good use of the two important factors of innovation and high quality human resources.

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung also suggested that Binh Duong should focus on building a sustainable development plan in the coming time. Accordingly, the province needs to determine its position and tasks for the southern key economic region and the whole country. Thereon, it develops a development plan and roadmap in the direction of establishing linkages and developing regions, key economic regions and the country to exemplify their roles and tasks in the general development orientation of the whole country.

Reported by Dinh Thang – Translated by Vi Bao