For many years, Thai Binh struggled with creating a prosperous economy. Now, in the dawn of the post-Covid era, the region plans for further development via the 'Thai Binh Economic Zone.' Ngo Dong Hai, member of the Party Central Committee and secretary of the Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee, spoke with the Vietnam Times about the province's future goals. |
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| To choose the right paths to develop, one needs to start with finding out existing limitations. What are the limitations of Thai Binh economy? Thai Binh is a coastal province, in the Red River delta, located in the area of the economic growth triangle of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh. However, compared to neighboring provinces and in the region, Thai Binh has an unsynchronized socio-economic infrastructure system, especially transport infrastructure. Thai Binh's economy is small, from a low starting point, with low efficiency and competitiveness. Per capita income is still low compared to the region and the country. Agriculture has not yet developed commensurate with the potentials and advantages of the province. The province's industry has seen a positive development. However, most of the production facilities are still small and medium-sized, mainly outsourcing and manufacturing ordinary products. Service development is slow, without attractive and sustainable modern services. |
| What pressures does this situation have on provincial leaders? Facing that situation, the twentieth congress of the Thai Binh Provincial Party has set a target for the term 2020-2025. The goal is to quickly turn Thai Binh into a well-developed province, laying the foundation to catch up with the leading group in the Red River region by 2030. Many strategic objectives and tasks with a long-term vision, suitable to the province's characteristics and potentials, were decided by Congress. One of the goals is to strengthen the restructuring of the economy and manufacturing industries. The province restructures the agricultural sector in the direction of improving efficiency and added value, applying high technology, focusing on the value chain, and building brands for local agricultural products. The province also restructured industries, encouraged the development of processing industries, industries serving agriculture, gas and wind power. Thai Binh strengthens investment in the construction of socio-economic infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, major investment projects with important impacts, contributing to the development of the province. The Standing Committee of Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee has proposed a feasible development roadmap for the term and the following years. |
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| Though most of the work has already been planned out, people think that the visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Thai Binh in early May has inspired a new direction of thinking. What do you think about this? During his working visit to Thai Binh, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh appreciated the solidarity spirit, and efforts of Thai Binh Party Committee and people over the past two years. The Prime Minister also pointed out some limitations of the province. He directed and suggested important directions and tasks to effectively strengthen the potential and advantages for stronger development. Thai Binh needs to strengthen agricultural development, farmers, and rural areas in a new, sustainable and efficient direction. The province needs to attract industries with advanced technologies and high added value. The province also needs to encourage the development of trade - services in the direction of civilization and modernization. Thai Binh needs to focus on building Thai Binh Economic Zone into a key, driving force for economic development of the province, considering this as the top political task of the province in the 2020-2025 term and the following terms. The directions of the Prime Minister helped Thai Binh to define more clearly the development goals and solutions, helping the province to gain more confidence and determination. The construction and development of Thai Binh Economic Zone is a long-term process with a specific roadmap, requiring high determination, persistence and creativity. Thai Binh Economic Zone is definitely an investment destination with great attraction and potential for development. The Economic Zone will become a key economic area, a development engine of Thai Binh province and the whole region.
In terms of infrastructure, which aspect of Thai Binh is the weakest? The transport infrastructure of Thai Binh is limited, not synchronous and has not met development requirements. Over the years, the province has made great efforts in improving and building new infrastructure systems through new rural construction programs. The transportation system connecting Thai Binh and neighboring provinces has also been initially invested in. However, the capacity of many infrastructure and transportation systems no longer meets the development requirements. Infrastructure difficulties limit the province's socio-economic development and investment attraction in recent years. The province has determined to attract resources to invest in the construction of transport infrastructure, speed up the construction of the coastal road section passing Thai Binh province. |
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| Focusing on building infrastructure and important connecting roads will help Thai Binh overcome the current weakest point, contributing to the transport infrastructure of the province. It accelerates the socio-economic development, fosters the investment in Thai Binh Economic Zone particularly and Thai Binh province. |
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| Can you outline the scale of the economy as well as the advantages in attracting investment of Thai Binh after the basic completion of Thai Binh Economic Zone? Thai Binh Economic Zone was established under Decision No. 36/2017 / QD-TTg of the Prime Minister with a scale of 30,583 ha, including 31 communes and towns in the coastal area of 2 districts Thai Thuy and Tien Hai. According to the general construction, the economic zone has 5 main functional areas: power center (853ha); industrial - urban - service zones, industrial zones and industrial clusters (8,020ha); seaport and wharf areas (about 500ha); centralized tourism and service area (3,110ha); the municipalities; rural residential and concentrated agriculture. Currently, Lien Ha Thai Industrial Park is completing Phase I with an area of 560 hectares with many secondary investors; Tien Hai industrial park is conducting site clearance. The construction and development of Thai Binh Economic Zone is a long-term process with a specific roadmap, requiring high determination, persistence and creativity. Thai Binh Economic Zone is definitely an investment destination with great attraction and potential for development. The Economic Zone will become a key economic area, a development engine of Thai Binh province and the whole region. |
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| The Prime Minister mentioned that people must be the beneficiaries of the Economic Zone. How will this opinion be approached by the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee? Thai Binh province affirms that development programs and plans must consider economic development as the center, respect the interests of the people, and improve people's lives as the core benefits. They need to ensure the harmony between economic development with cultural and human development, solve social problems for sustainable development. In the process of building and developing Thai Binh Economic Zone, the province will face many challenges, related to ensuring the immediate and long-term benefits of the people. The large-scale site clearance will directly affect the lives, houses, activities, social security, and even the jobs and livelihoods of a large number of people in the area. In the long term, the operation of the Economic Zone will also pose many challenges in ensuring security and order, living space, preserving cultural traditions, and changing careers for the community here. However, the construction and development of the Economic Zone also open up great opportunities in improving social conditions, creating more jobs, and improving living standards and incomes for people. Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee affirmed that it would strictly comply with the direction of the Prime Minister, focusing on solving issues related to the rights and interests of the people. |
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Thai Binh should think of development towards the sea. How should Thai Binh shape this strategy? The development direction of the province set out in the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress always emphasizes the focus on the marine economy, strongly towards the sea. Over the past two years, the province has always been pondering about a suitable direction to strongly develop the marine economy, taking advantage of the province's 54km of coastline, and its proximity to the major seaports of Hai Phong city. The Prime Minister said: “Thai Binh is narrow and crowded. The province should coordinate with ministries and branches to research and expand the space towards the sea." The Prime Minister also supported the province's proposal to develop a land reclamation scheme to build a new urban, industrial and service space; with a strong, long-term vision that opens up to the region and the world. This is a long process that needs careful study, and innovation. It is a long way, but definitely the way to go. It is a strategic direction of Thai Binh, suitable to the development trend of the region and the country.
Having been the Secretary of the Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee for 2 years (June 1, 2020 - June 1, 2022), what have you done as well as what are your concerns? In the first 2 years of implementing the Resolution of the Congress, Thai Binh Party Committee and People have clearly identified the socio-economic pillars, key tasks; concretized the goals and tasks, achieved many important initial results. During the past two years, Thai Binh has done well in the prevention and control of Covid-19. Political security, social order and safety were maintained. The economy is basically stable and has good growth; Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2021 increased 6.68% (ranked 14th out of 63 provinces and cities), GRDP in the first quarter of 2022 increased 7.44% (ranked 16/63 provinces and cities), especially first 6 months of 2022 the city's growth reaches 9,49%, ranked 12/63 provinces and 6/11 of Red River Delta region. Thai Binh has become an attractive new investment destination, attracting a number of large domestic and foreign economic groups to invest in the province with a total value of FDI in 2021 of over US$700 million. Thai Binh will still face many difficulties and challenges. I always hope and believe in the bright future of the land of Thai Binh with a long history of pride and its people. |
| Content: Le Son Translate: Thuy Trang Photo: Mai Thuong Đồ họa: Minh Hồng |