Transform of the land of steel

Thanks to the focus on economic restructuring, from an agriculture-based district, Ben Cat has become a town with the proportion of industry and services accounting for almost the local economic structure. Not only that, Ben Cat is also an area with a fast urbanization rate with many spacious and modern residential areas to meet the increasing housing demand. That is an important foundation for Ben Cat Town determines to successfully implement goals of the 12th Town Party Resolution and become Ben Cat City.

A corner of My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park, Ben Cat Town.

Take shortcuts, catch up with industrial development trend

Ben Cat Town is the cradle of the revolution, where village names left their mark in history with glorious victories in the two resistance wars for national liberation. In particular, the Iron Triangle tunnels located in three communes An Dien, An Tay, and Phu An, formed during the resistance war against the French (1948), has become a symbol of the unyielding will of our army and people.  During more than 20 years of wartime against the invading US imperialists, despite being equipped with advanced weapons, many times they organized sweeps and captured the Iron Triangle to destroy our revolutionary forces, but all failed.  In particular, during the 1968 campaign and the 1975 spring, the Iron Triangle tunnel was the place where many large armies gathered to attack Saigon, liberate the South, and reunify the country.

Ben Cat steel land in the past has changed dramatically in terms of socio-economic development as well as the speed of urbanization. It is the result of the policy to bring industry to northern districts of the province. With the policy of "taking shortcuts, taking the lead to strongly develop industry", the town has implemented economic restructuring from agriculture - industry - services, commerce to industry - agriculture - services commerce, then industry - service - agriculture. While in 1997 (the year when Song Be province was split into Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc), agriculture accounted for 66% of Ben Cat economic structure, industry only accounted for 19%, and services commerce 15%, at present industry accounts for 70.3% of the town's economic structure, commerce - service accounts for 29.5%, agriculture accounts for a very low proportion only 0.2%.

Although being “behind" in industrial development compared to other provinces in the south of the province, due to taking appropriate steps and with the province’s concentration of resources, especially the sense of responsibility of leadership, the town's industry has made rapid development from planning, clearing and compensation, building infrastructure of industrial zones and clusters... Industrial parks in the town were born, become an attractive address for domestic and foreign investors. In 1997, there were only 82 enterprises with a total domestic investment of nearly 200 billion VND and 18 FDI enterprises with an investment capital of 106 million USD in the town; then by the end of 2022, the town attracted nearly 6,000 project with a total investment of nearly 55,000 billion VND and over 9.2 billion USD.

Along with economic development, the town always pays attention to socio-cultural development, building a civilized city. Many construction works imbued with cultural and historical identities, have been invested, such as: Ben Cat Monument, Iron Triangle Tunnels... Green parks combined with sports equipment were built in residential and urban areas. The movement of the whole people uniting to build a cultural life, to build a new countryside and a civilized city, and diverse cultural, artistic sports activities achieved good results, contributing to the improvement of mental life for the people.

On the way to become a city

The achievements of Ben Cat Town over the past time are the results of the synergy of the whole political system under the centralized leadership of Party committees at all levels, the management and administration of the government, at the same time, promoting the great strength of union members and the masses through the roles and activities of the Fatherland Front and mass organizations. In addition, the town upholds solidarity, dynamism, and creativity by inheriting and developing the achievements and experience of previous generations in leadership, direction, and carrying out political duties.

The achieved results are the premise for the town to fulfill targets of class-two urban construction and become a city in the coming time. In order to soon complete the set goal, the town set forth many solutions. In which, the town will focus on accelerating the sustainable economic growth, at the same time promoting the renewal of economic growth model in combination with the implementation of strategic breakthroughs; ensure social security and welfare, constantly improve the people's lives. Besides, the town continues to improve the efficiency of environmental protection, ensuring good quality of living standards.

Bui Minh Thanh, Secretary of Ben Cat Town Party Committee, said that in order for Ben Cat to soon become a city directly under the province, the town will focus on some key tasks, such as upgrading two communes An Dien and An Tay to become wards; and by 2025, Ben Cat town will basically meet the criteria of a class-two urban area. By 2030, Ben Cat will become a modern industrial center, and a smart city of the province by 2045. By 2030 with a vision for 2040, Ben Cat will continue to develop a knowledge economy with a system of high-class commercial centers, modern financial centers, logistics centers, science technology and innovation services, social security services meet local needs and is a key economic zone of the province.

On the other hand, the town will focus on developing green service-industry cities, in which focus on promoting various types of services to become a provincial service center; continue to develop the knowledge economy with a system of high-class commercial centers, modern financial centers, logistics centers, logistics services, scientific and technological services and innovation, social security services meet local needs well and is a key economic region of the province.

After more than 25 years of accompanying the province’s construction and development, Ben Cat Town achieved many great and comprehensive achievements in all fields, increasingly reinforced the people's firm belief in the Party and government’s leadership. Ben Cat Town is entering a new stage of development opening many opportunities and also posing many difficulties and challenges. However, with the tradition of heroism, indomitable in struggle, solidarity and creativity in labor, the Party Committee of Ben Cat Town will continue to overcome difficulties, strive to successfully complete all tasks, contribute to the general development of the province, worthy of the heroic Ben Cat homeland.

Reported by Tri Dung - Translated by Ngoc Huynh