Ha Tinh Impression

Nature does not endow Ha Tinh province with special weather conditions or landscapes. Its trade exchange advantage is not superior to other provinces in the region. Ha Tinh people are obsessed Ngang (Horizontal) Pass and dream it will be Nghech (Cocked) Pass.

 

But, in just a few years, Ha Tinh has grasped its golden opportunity and real potential to speed up. On April 26 and 27, 2013, the province hosted a solemn ceremony to announce the Ha Tinh social and economic master plan to 2020, with a vision to 2050. The master plan was advised, surveyed and designed by Monitor Group, a well-known group in the US.

 

Monitor Group is a world-leading, reputed and experienced consultant on development strategy construction for more than 130 countries and territories around the world. It has applied the diamond model of Professor Michael Porter to Ha Tinh.

 

According to the master plan, the province aims to have an annual economic growth rate of 18.4 percent from 2011 to 2020 and bring per capita GDP to VND35 million in 2035 and VND97.7 million in 2050. It will become an industrial province by 2020, with industrial, service and agricultural sectors accounting for 54.7 percent, 32.2 percent and 13.1 percent of the province’s economy, respectively. Its export turnover is expected to reach US$383 million in 2015 and US$2 billion in 2020.

 

So, what are the foundations for the province to realise its ambitious targets? Ha Tinh province’s economic growth was 14 percent in 2012, highest in the nation and higher than the initial target of 12.5 - 13 percent. FDI capital licensed in the year reached US$2.148 billion, second in the country after only Binh Duong province. To date, FDI capital attracted amounted US$17 billion.

 

Right after the province hosted the 180^th founding anniversary, Ha Tinh people were proud to introduce its heavy industries to partners and investors. Vung Ang Economic Zone will be the new Thai Nguyen province of Vietnam. Formosa steel mill, the largest in Southeast Asia, will be built in the economic zone, together with Son Duong thermal power plant, deepwater ports, Vung An 1, 2, and 3 thermal power plants.

 

All directions to the open sea have been opened and cleared by Ha Tinh province. Meanwhile, in the west, Cau Treo International Border Gate Economic Zone which connects to Tran-Asia Road, is full of development potential.

 

Although there are certain difficulties in Vung Ang thermal power plants or Thach Khe iron ore development, the foundations for the future of heavy industry in Ha Tinh have been created. Vung Ang is compared to a locomotive that leads the economy to the open sea. And, Cau Treo adds resources and surplus value for the provincial economy.

 

Speaking at the launch of the socioeconomic development master plan, Mr Vo Kim Cu, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, expressed his special esteem for attending guests while always keeping a smile on his face.

 

After about 20 years of being obsessed of Ngang Pass, Ha Tinh has actually created impressions for its breakthroughs.