Smart Development model: The core element of an Intelligent Community

In the program of the event honoring the top 7 intelligent communities in 2022, there was a workshop on "Post-pandemic recovery, digital transformation and innovation to promote growth in community".

To develop a new type of ecosystem

At the workshop, Mai Hung Dung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Executive Board of Binh Duong Smart City, gave a presentation about: "Smart development model: The core element of an intelligent community". The presentation answered some questions: What development model helped Binh Duong transform itself from a backward agricultural land into a vibrant industrial land? In this progress, what were the tools and ways to attract resources? What philosophy of development helps Binh Duong to maintain the inheritance of the development strategy of the province over generations? What can Binh Duong conclude to continue developing in line with the digital age, digital economy and knowledge economy?

The model of industrial - urban - service development helps Binh Duong to develop significantly on its path.

At the workshop, Dung said that in the mid-90s, Binh Duong had been known as a backward agricultural land, whose economy depended mainly on agriculture; industry, especially services, did not really develop, the annual budget revenue was modest. Government and people of Binh Duong encountered numerous difficulties, such as lack of capital, human resources, weak infrastructure and many other challenges; and must find a way to change Binh Duong from an agricultural land into a developing region, to unlock potential and opportunities, create strengths to break through.

Thanks to development experience shared by Singapore, Binh Duong created and has expanded the model of industrial - urban - service development, in order to create an industrial city with the ability to provide social platforms, naturally forming a multicultural industrial community, in which each component will play a role and have a distinct role in the value chain of this urban economy and society. In order to attract resources to build up this development model, Binh Duong developed an "Inter-City Diplomatic Strategy", with the motto “the government opens up international relations, businesses pioneer to attract resources. Binh Duong's "inter-city diplomatic strategy" has brought great achievements to the province, helped Binh Duong have a thoughtful vision based on the overall domestic and international level, confidently progress firmly with the motto: Alertness, sincerity, humility.

In order to meet the new requirements, looking for new motivations, Binh Duong has been developing a new type of ecosystem - a new development model that complements the industrial - urban - service model. It is an ecosystem of innovation and science technology, smart industrial parks, intelligent - green - sustainable city; the development of scientific technological industrial parks to attract high-value-added industries, elevate Binh Duong industry to a higher segment in the global value chain; to step by step gain new economic development momentum to replace labor-intensive and land-intensive industries.

The model of industrial- urban - service development has helped Binh Duong develop significantly, become a land with high middle income, which means that there is a risk of encountering the first middle-income trap in Vietnam. According to Mai Hung Dung, the problem of overcoming the middle income trap is not only the problem of economic development, but also a test of local governance capacity. Based on practical conditions of the province, especially from development experience, for Binh Duong to be able to overcome the "middle income trap", the province needs to meet certain conditions. Namely, building an effective business and investment environment, building a harmonious, humane and sustainable society, building a dynamic and constructive government.

Digital transformation efficiency

In his presentation on the topic "Digital transformation, a tool to help the community overcome the pandemic" in Binh Duong, Dr. Pham Tuan Anh, Information Technology Development Director of Becamex IDC, said that after 25 years of construction and development, with the available infrastructure, Binh Duong has transformed very quickly. Binh Duong develops based on not only industrial parks but also society; investors can find labor forces who switched from agriculture to services. Binh Duong only had two weeks to set up field hospitals, because without protecting workers it cannot retain workers. All material facilities from businesses were requisitioned, even the Binh Duong New City WTC was used as a field hospital. Technology is an aspect of life, people are at the center.

Sami Ahmed, CEO of Star up Bangladesh, said that the growth of technology had helped Bangladesh expand its mobile system, information technology network, high-tech industrial parks, created high growth and income. Discussing the topic "Taiwan Smart City Development Model", Maggie Chao, Deputy Director of ITRI Taiwan, said that Taiwan now has more than 200 solutions that have been tested across Taiwan and exported to the world. Taiwan has worked with the ICF and is assisted in many development directions. Taiwan's goal is to take advantage of technology to improve the quality of life, narrow the digital gap, seek opportunities for cooperation and development.

Concluding the workshop, Peter Portheine, Director of EIPO - Netherlands, emphasized the role of digital transformation, technology in growth and development, such as the use and development of broadband, digital integration to connect rural and urban areas...

Reported by Phuong Le – Translated by Ngoc Huynh