Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Committee

Nearly half of the 5-year plan (2021-2025) has passed with many difficulties and challenges, Ha Tinh is focusing on the hinge year - 2023, with solutions to motivate and create a breakthrough momentum for the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Vo Trong Hai, shared these contents in a recent conversation with Ha Tinh Newspaper’s correspondent.

Dear Mr. Chairman, overcoming difficulties in the first months of the year, Ha Tinh is accelerating the implementation of the tasks in 2023 with new signals. Can you generalize about this picture?

• Mr. Chairman Vo, Trong Hai: As predicted, in the first months of 2023, the implementation of the socio-economic development goals of the whole country faced many difficulties and challenges. The global context is still complicated by high inflation, and many countries continue to tighten monetary policy, raise interest rates, and slow down growth, etc. which have significantly impacted the Vietnamese economy. With the whole country, Ha Tinh has mobilized the strength of the political system, the consensus, and the active participation of the people and the business community to flexibly, timely, and synchronously deploy the tasks and solutions. As a result, Ha Tinh’s economy has been recovering and achieving good results in many fields. In the first quarter, the GRDP growth rate of Ha Tinh reached 4.08%, higher than the national average (GRDP in the first quarter of 2023 for the whole country was 3.32%); total investment of the entire society reached approximately VND 9,864 billion, increased by 46.08% over the same period last year.

Photos in the construction site of Vung Ang 2 Thermal Power Plant - Photo by Thu Trang

In the whole picture, Ha Tinh’s agriculture has been achieving positive results. Up to now, spring crops have grown favorably, promising a successful harvest season; winter crop production achieved satisfactory results. Industrial production has faced difficulties due to a sharp decline in aggregate demand from abroad which caused orders to drop; however, some essential products experienced good growth rates, such as beer, commercial electricity, and production electricity; large industrial projects, such as Vung Ang 2 Thermal Power Plant, Lithium Battery Factory ensured progress; VinES Battery Factory is focusing on installing machines and equipment to run tests; Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant basically overcomes the problem of Unit 1…

In the first four months of the year, revenue from accommodation, catering, and travel services reached VND 2,191.7 billion, increased by 26.84% over the same period last year.

To compensate for difficulties in the industrial sector, the trade and service sector grew quite well in the first months of the year, becoming a bright spot in the economy. Total retail sales of goods in 4 months were estimated at nearly VND 18,800 billion, increased by almost 22% over the same period last year, especially the contributions of tourism activities with the impressive results of spiritual tourism in the first months of the year and the promising launch of sea tourism. By the synchronous and drastic participation of all levels and sectors in tourism development programs and solutions, in the first four months of the year, the revenue of accommodation, catering, and travel services reached 2,191.7 billion VND, increased by 26.84% over the same period last year; total number of guests was 478,155, increased by 47.3% over the same period last year.

The large-scale construction projects in the area also play an essential role in the economic growth in the first months of the year. The progress of projects, such as the North-South expressway and Vung Ang 2 Thermal Power Plant is guaranteed to accelerate the investment and construction sector with a growth rate of more than 15% compared to the same period last year. In the coming months, they will also be potential sources of revenue for the Province’s economy.

With the efforts of the locality to hand over the site and the contractors to mobilize the workforce and machinery and divide dozens of construction subprojects, up to now, the North-South expressway through Ha Tinh is gradually taking shape. Photo by Van Duc

Total budget revenue in the area as of April 26, 2023 reached more than 4,610 billion VND, of which domestic revenue reached 2,015 billion VND, import and export revenue reached more than 2,595 billion VND

In the first months of the year, the tax authorities continuously implemented policies to support the reduction and relaxation of taxes, such as environmental protection tax on gasoline, oil, and grease, VAT, to extend the payment deadline of tax and land rent for 2023 to assist businesses to reduce production costs and increase resilience. Although the implementation of these policies caused reduce in budget revenue in some segments, by carrying out many practical solutions, the total budget revenue in the area as of April 26, 2023 reached more than 4,610 billion VND, of which domestic revenue reached 2,015 billion VND, import and export revenue reached more than 2,595 billion VND.

The socio-cultural sector has also achieved many significant results. Social security, job creation, and people's health care have been paid attention to, fully and timely implemented. The education and training sector marked new achievements with outstanding results: 69 students won prizes at the National Excellent Student Competition in grade 12, ranking 2nd in the country in terms of the number of first prizes; 2 students were selected to join the official teams for the international competition.

Along with the prosperity in the socio-economic sectors, ensuring security has also been focused, the political security, social order, and safety are maintained, and there are no hot spots. The people trust, join hands and unanimously implement the guidelines and policies of the Party and the Government’s laws. This is the foundation for us to accelerate the implementation of tasks from the beginning of the second quarter and focus on creating new breakthroughs in 2023.

The former State President, Truong Tan Sang, and provincial leaders at the inauguration and handover ceremony of infrastructure and housing construction works for 24 fishing households in Tien Phong Village, Quang Vinh Commune (Duc Tho). Photo by Duong Chien.

The Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Vo Trong Hai, visited the Chut ethnic group in Rao Tre Village, Huong Lien Commune, Huong Khe District (in January 2023). Photo by Duong Chien.

Solutions and new steps in attracting investment will be highly concentrated with the expectation that these will make breakthroughs in the remaining half of the 2021 - 2025 planning period

As we expect, the growth potential will expand in the second quarter when large projects are accelerated, tourism enters peak season, spring crops are harvested, etc. In the foreseeable future, the Province is focusing on directing the successful implementation of spring crop production, proactively preparing for summer-autumn crop production in 2023 and promoting livestock development in association with disease prevention and control, concentrating on recovering industrial production, accelerating the progress of major and critical industrial projects, accelerating disbursement of public investment capital and capital sources for socio-economic recovery and development programs and national target programs; actively accompanying and promptly removing difficulties for enterprises; stabilizing the development of commercial - service activities, especially the tourism sector; drastically performing the tasks of budget collection and collection of tax arrears. In particular, solutions and new steps in attracting investment will be highly concentrated with the expectation that these will make breakthroughs in the remaining half of the 2021 - 2025 planning period.

• It is known that the conference of the provincial Master Plan announcement and Investment Promotion is taking place at the end of May. How will this event create motivation for investment attraction in Ha Tinh in the next time?

• Mr. Chairman Vo, Trong Hai: With the theme of “Ha Tinh - realizing potential and aspirations”, the conference on the announcement of the Provincial Master Plan for 2021 - 2030 with a vision to 2050 and Investment Promotion held by Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Investment will affirm the determination and aspiration of the Province on the big road to implement the strategies specified in the Provincial Master Plan.

Leaders of Ha Tinh Province introduced to the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, and leaders of ministries and branches about typical products of the Province on the sidelines of the conference of the Government’s action plan to implement Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW of the Politburo, taking place in Binh Dinh (February 2023).

We will welcome many delegates who are leaders of the Central Committee, Ministries, international diplomatic missions, domestic and foreign enterprises, and investors attending the conference. The conference is a crucial forum for us to announce the vision and strategic orientations of the Provincial Master Plan and promote the potential, advantages, and list of priority projects calling for investment.

At this forum, Ha Tinh will also listen to the opinions of domestic and foreign enterprises and investors, representatives of international associations and organizations, etc., sharing experiences, proposing recommendations and solutions for Ha Tinh, especially solutions to mobilize resources to realize planning, solutions for sustainable development, regional linkages... in the regional development strategy for the North Central and Central Coast to 2030 with a vision to 2045 and the National Master Plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050.

It is expected that Ha Tinh will award decisions of investment in-principle approval and investment registration certificates to enterprises and sign Memorandums of Understanding with large enterprises and investors. In particular, VSIP Group (a joint venture between Becamex Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Vietnam, and a consortium of Singaporean investors led by Sembcorp Development LTD) will study the feasibility of investing in a complex of an industrial park and an urban and service area with a total area of about 600 hectares in Thach Ha District; FPT Corporation is surveying the investment in the project of an inter-school and FPT Polytechnic College in Ha Tinh City.

• From open opportunities, strong motivation, and high political determination, which key strategies and solutions will be implemented by Ha Tinh to move faster and closer to the breakthrough goals of 2021- 2025?

• Mr. Chairman Vo, Trong Hai: The cross-cutting objective set out at the 19th Provincial Party Committee, term 2020-2025, and the Provincial Master Plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050 is to make Ha Tinh become a good province by 2030 in the whole country. During the implementation, objective difficulties occurring over the first years of the term from natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic caused many targets and tasks not to be achieved as expected. Clearly identifying the requirements set forth, with the leadership and close direction of the Standing Committee and the Executive Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council and Committee has been directing all levels and sectors to take part in synchronously with high determination and new thinking to achieve breakthrough goals in the implementation of the 5-year plan 2021-2025, creating a foundation towards the goals for the period 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050.

Enterprises in Vung Ang Economic Zone contributed significantly to the budget revenue. Photo by reports

Many “bottlenecks” still need to be drastically removed by all levels and sectors soon to build a modern and transparent business investment environment.

Accordingly, the regular task and also a breakthrough solution is to accelerate administrative reform, digital transformation, and investment attraction. According to the announcements at the beginning of April, Ha Tinh’s Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) rank in 2022 increased by 9 places compared to the previous year, ranking 18th in the whole country. Our Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) ranks 8th in the nation. In addition to the relatively high component indexes showing the improvement of many aspects of Ha Tinh’s investment environment, many other indicators are still low and indicate that there are still many “bottlenecks” that need to be drastically removed by all levels and sectors soon to build a modern and transparent business investment environment.

Especially, to soon have new results in attracting investment, the Province set up special working groups and assisting groups to assist in handling issues and problems related to land, compensation, and land clearance to implement key projects; review projects facing problems with Decree No. 148/2020/ND-CP that have not yet been leased land; directly get involved in supporting projects and enterprises that are facing difficulties and problems in the locality to stabilize production and business.

The Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Vo Trong Hai, discusses with people in Ky Loi Commune during his trip to inspect the infrastructure of the resettlement area in Ky Anh Town. Photo by Thu Ha.

Accordingly, the Province will make the best efforts to shorten the time to carry out the procedures and soon deploy key investment projects; continue to support investors in the fields of the infrastructure of industrial parks, urban areas, tourism - resorts, wind power, high-tech agriculture, etc. to complete investment procedures in the area. At the same time, promoting streamlining and vocational training in association with job orientation according to the needs of enterprises in the near future will create jobs for tens of thousands of workers with decent and stable incomes, contributing to ensuring social security in the area.

Along with a breakthrough from attracting investment, solutions to restore industrial production will be focused on creating favorable conditions for early completion of troubleshooting and re-connection to the grid for Unit 1 of Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant, putting VinES Battery Factory into trial operation and production as planned; accelerating the investment progress of Vung Ang 2 Thermal Power Project, Lithium Battery Factory. Continuing to accompany and support enterprises to invest in the fields of yarn, packaging, apparel, pharmaceuticals, tea, beer... to achieve the targets and business targets in 2023, especially the two key units: Formosa Ha Tinh reached nearly 7 million tons of steel, and Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant reached 6.4 billion kWh. In the future, when supporting industries develop and there are more post-steel investors, Vung Ang Economic Zone, with its core as Formosa Iron and Steel Complex, Vung Ang - Son Duong deep-water port cluster will bring strong development not only for Ha Tinh but also for the North Central region.

Steel exports in Formosa Ha Tinh. Photo by Nguyen Thanh Hai

On the roadmap to build 3 urban centers, the expansion of the administrative boundary of Ha Tinh Cty will create a foundation for the development of urban centers around Ha Tinh City (Ha Tinh City will be the nucleus, and satellite towns include Thach Ha Town, Cam Xuyen Town, Loc Ha Town). At the same time, the remaining two urban centers are located in the North (including Hong Linh Town, associated with Tien Dien Town, Xuan An Town, Nghi Xuan New Urban Area) and the South (Ky Anh Town associated with Vung Ang Economic Zone) will be prioritized for resources to gradually construct and develop worthy.

Along with promoting and developing production, continue to review and evaluate the criteria for new-style rural areas at provincial, district and commune levels and to complete new-style rural area targets for the whole province in the 2021 - 2025 period.

Sticking to the goals, solutions, and development strategies of 4 key economic fields set out by the Provincial Master Plan, in addition to the development of the steelmaking industry, the supporting industry, the post-steel manufacturing, and the electricity production, Ha Tinh also invests in economic sectors: agriculture, forestry and fishery, logistics services, and tourism. In particular, the agricultural industry will better play the supporting role of the economy when it is oriented towards organic and circular agriculture and the application of scientific and technological advances to production to increase productivity and value; cooperatives actively work with farmers to concentrate and accumulate land, produce large fields in association with enterprises to consume products. Along with promoting and developing production, continue to review and evaluate the criteria for new-style rural areas at provincial, district and commune levels and to complete new-style rural area targets for the whole province in the 2021 - 2025 period.

The opening ceremony of Ha Tinh beach tourism in 2023 with the theme “Ha Tinh – the poetry page in harmony with the waves” at Xuan Thanh Tourism Area (Nghi Xuan). Photo by reporter.

Prioritizing resources for key infrastructure projects, especially improving traffic conditions in the coming years, from sources of revenue growth and cost savings, the Province will reduce small investments to focus on big things. In particular, the focus is on lengthening Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Boulevard from Ha Tinh City to the sea, associated with the planning to build modern commercial and urban areas on both sides of the road. By 2025, when the North-South expressway traffic system is completed, along with National Routes 1, 8A, 15A and coastal routes, Ha Tinh will synchronize the traffic system. Besides, the Province is gradually implementing the airport investment policy in the form of socialization.

Ha Tinh also continues to pay attention to comprehensively developing culture and society, promoting digital transformation, and applying science and technology in various fields. In particular, always appreciating and promoting the cultural and human values of Ha Tinh, arousing new aspirations and new thinking of each person on the step-by-step journey towards the strategic goal of becoming a good province by 2030 in the whole country and by 2050 Ha Tinh will be a modern industrial province, comprehensively and sustainably developed, becoming a growth pole of the North Central region and the whole country.

Ha Tinh Newspaper