2:54:29 PM | 23/7/2018
From an agriculture-based province and one of the poorest provinces in the country, after 21 years of doi moi (renovation) and development (1997 - 2018), Quang Nam province has changed fundamentally, risen to become a thriving province in the central key economic region, and proudly made a budget surplus sent to the Central Budget. The following interview with Mr Dinh Van Thu, Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee, features the local socio-economic development. Cong Luan reports.
Could you please introduce remarkable socio-economic achievements of Quang Nam province in the 21 years since re-establishment? What is the key to the province’s success?
After nearly 21 years of development, Quang Nam has made constant efforts to achieve its socio-economic development goals among other fields. Its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) has grown nearly 11.5 per cent on average. In 2017, its GRDP reached VND63,003 billion (US$2.8 billion), up 5.09 per cent over 2016. The economic structure was shifted toward a desired pattern with the share of agriculture, forestry and fishery falling to 11.6 per cent and the share of non-agricultural sectors rising 88.4 per cent.
The province introduced and adopted many solutions to mobilise investment resources for infrastructure development among other fields to give a facelift to urban, rural and mountainous areas. In 20 years, the total social investment has mounted to VND159 trillion (US$6.9 billion), representing a year-on-year growth of 21 per cent. Particularly, in 2017, the value reached VND23,750 billion (over US$1 billion). Its state budget revenue grossed more than VND75 trillion (US$3.3 billion), including VND19,800 billion (US$860 million) in 2017.
The transport infrastructure has been developed thoroughly in all modes of road, waterway, rail and air traffic to effectively meet the rising demand for traveling and freight transportation. The infrastructure system in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone and industrial zones like Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc, Dong Que Son, Dai Hiep, Bac Chu Lai and Tam Thang has been continuously improved. Major administrative centres and urban centres have been upgraded and enlarged. The National Target Programme for New Countryside Construction has produced positive results, with 71 communes, Phu Ninh district and Dien Ban Town meeting new countryside standards at the end of 2017.
In addition to boosting economic development, Quang Nam province always cares for better livelihoods of people in all aspects. With its focus on poverty reduction, the province’s poverty rate fell to 9.28 per cent and near-poor household rate to 4.53 per cent in 2017. Population, labour, education and training, healthcare, social culture and social security policies have been carried out effectively and the life quality of people has been further improved.
The rate of trained workers has also been raised. Per capital GRDP was nearly VND56 million (US$2,300) in 2017, an increase of VND4 million or 8 per cent from 2016. National security and defence, social order and safety have been maintained. Administrative reform has been further strengthened. External relations have been enhanced. A lot of pressing social issues have been resolved and produced positive results.
In order to have the above achievements, apart from the efforts of Party committees and local authorities, the contribution of resources and creativity by the people is considered key, illustrated in the following aspects: Promoting the people's mastery rights in carrying out Party and State guidelines and policies; mobilising investment resources for infrastructure development; effectively carrying out all-people national security protection movements; and promoting education and law communications to all people.
Could you please tell us about initial successes of innovative start-ups in Quang Nam province as well as its efforts for a strong innovative startup ecosystem?
Quang Nam officially started construction on the innovative startup ecosystem in the first quarter of 2017 with the formation of the Cross-sector Innovative Startup Support Taskforce which acts as a lead coordinator to directly advise the Provincial People’s Committee to build the innovative startup ecosystem in the province. The Provincial People’s Committee issued Decision 4396/QD-UBND dated December 18, 2017 approving the plan for implementation of “innovative startup ecosystem in the province in 2018-2025” on the basis of coupling and integrating government documents on innovative start-up ecosystems.
After one year of launching, the innovative start-up ecosystem of Quang Nam province set up five innovative startup clubs and prepared to form new ones in some localities, colleges and universities in the locality. The Provincial People’s Committee also signed a cooperation programme on construction of joint innovative startup ecosystems with the Da Nang City People's Committee, inked cooperation agreements with innovative startup clubs and centres across the nation, organised workshops and forums, and established the Quang Nam Innovative Start-up Information Support Gateway linked to the National Innovative Startup Gateway.
The province has stepped up the networking, nursing and connectivity of innovative startups. Many creative ideas have been invested by organisations and individuals and called for angel investors. The mentoring model has gradually promoted the effect, particularly working and thinking approaches.
The eastern region of Quang Nam province is comprised of eight coastal districts with huge development potential. How has this region tapped its potential?
Quang Nam province aims to build and develop the East into a dynamic economic region of the province. At present, the traffic system is interconnected smoothly along the coast from Da Nang City to Tam Ky City. Chu Lai Airport has been planned as a passenger and cargo international airport. The seaport system has been upgraded to accommodate ocean-going ships of 20,000 tonnes and receive ships of 30,000-50,000 tonnes in the future. In addition to domestic routes, Chu Lai Port has international routes to China, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan and other destinations.
To date, the East of Quang Nam has attracted many important investment projects which have opened up development prospects for industry, commerce and tourism. Typical projects include a joint venture among a three-company consortium consisting of Chow Tai Fook Group, Suncity Group and Vinacapital aiming to develop Nam Hoi An Resort Complex; Truong Hai Auto Joint Stock Corporation together with Hyundai, Mazda, Peugeot and BMW launched an automobile production and assembly project; Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group and Exxon Mobil Corporation (US) joined hands to invest in Central Gas Power Centre located in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces.
Situated in an important strategic location in the province's socio-economic development, the East of Quang Nam is considered a key driver for local industrial, commercial, tourism and service development. The East will be developed into multi-clusters in combination with economic axes of the province and the Central Coast, with three main clusters namely Cluster No.1 (Dien Ban Town and Hoi An City); Cluster No. 2 - South of Hoi An (Duy Xuyen, Que Son and Thang Binh districts), and Cluster No. 3 - Chu Lai area (Tam Ky City, Phu Ninh and Nui Thanh districts).
On industrial development direction, Cluster 1 is designed to develop light industry, consumer goods and associated services, and warehouses for transited goods; Cluster 2 is to develop mining industry and construction materials; and Cluster 3 is designed for environment-friendly advanced technologies. On tourism development direction, Cluster 1 is to develop ecological, cultural and historical tourism; Cluster 2 is to develop serviced tourism, upmarket tourism, and ecological tourism in coastal areas of Duy Xuyen and Thang Binh; and Cluster 3 is to develop a tourist route along the Truong Giang River and forms a waterway route connecting Hoi An to tourist attractions in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone. On trade and service space development direction, the province will build the Free Trade Centre in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone. In addition, the province has also worked out an investment plan for development of six key project groups in the East of Quang Nam, including Nam Hoi An urban and service area; an automotive industrial complex with supporting industries; a textile and garment industry complex with supporting industries in addition with Tam Ky Urban Area development; clean industry development and services linked to Chu Lai Airport; gas-power project and gas-fuelled and power-consumed industries; and port and storm shelter development programme.
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What are your innovative solutions and priorities to grow into a modern industrial province?
In order to realise the goal of making Quang Nam an above-average province and a modern industrial province by 2020, Quang Nam province must ensure sustainable development right now.
First and foremost, the province continues to effectively carry out three innovative tasks in association with restructuring and changing the province's economic growth paradigm. Changing the growth model in line with economic restructuring and public investment to enhance economic growth quality, efficiency and sustainability. Second, the province focuses on developing dynamic areas and actively investing in sustainable mountainous socioeconomic development. Third, Quang Nam further mobilises resources to carry out the National Target Programme for construction of the new countryside; effectively integrates capital sources from programmes and projects in the province with funds from the National Target Programme to raise investment efficiency. Fourth, the province makes breakthroughs in carrying out the National Target Programme for Sustainable Poverty Reduction with the aim of making cities and towns free of poor households by 2020 and reducing poverty rate to less than 2 per cent delta districts and to less than 7 per cent in mountainous districts. Fifth, the province effectively protects natural resources and the environment, actively responds to climate change, uses resources rationally, efficiently and sustainably. Sixth, it continues to synchronously develop the education - training system, diversifies studying forms to meet regular education demands of the people towards forming a leading society. It further builds up scientific and technological capabilities in a coordinated manner and promotes roles of scientists and technologists in scientific and technological reviewing and assessment. It takes good care of people's health. Seventh, Quang Nam effectively implements policies on people with meritorious services and social security programmes, focuses on tackling social issues; creates jobs for workers and reduces poverty sustainably. Eighth, the province executes a number of solutions to promote administrative reform, improve service quality for the sake of organisations and citizens. Ninth, the locality attaches much importance to socioeconomic development in association with political stability, national defence and security.
With the spirit of unity and consensus among the Party, the government, people and the business community, I believe that Quang Nam will succeed in achieving the goal of becoming an above-average province and a modern industrial province in 2020.
Thank you very much!
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03/4/2025
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese
