In 2023, Kien Giang province started implementing its socioeconomic development plan amid many difficulties and challenges. As a backbone of the economy, the industry and trade sector of Kien Giang province promptly adopted key groundbreaking programs and achieved outstanding results. Our reporter has an interview with Mr. Truong Van Minh, Director of Kien Giang Department of Industry and Trade, about this content.
The Department of Industry and Trade officially embraces the project “Facilitating the Integration of Cutting-Edge Machinery in Terrazzo Tile Production”
Could you tell us about outstanding achievements of the industry and trade sector of Kien Giang province in the past time?
Right from the start of this year, anticipating difficulties and challenges, the Department of Industry and Trade closely followed directions of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, actively building plans and solutions to maintain strong growth momentum, and importantly helped complete the province's socioeconomic plan.
The industrial production value in 2023 was estimated to reach VND49,496.26 billion, 2.73% higher than the target and 11.11% higher than a year earlier, exceeding the growth target assigned by the Provincial People’s Council and the Provincial People’s Committee by 3.11 percentage points (equivalent to an excess value of VND1,315.43 billion). The province's key industrial sectors continued to grow stably. The processing and manufacturing sector still played a supporting role and a driving force for the overall industrial growth as it accounted for 95.51% of the total industrial production value.
Trade and service kept growing well. The trade and service business network continued to be expanded with the supply of abundant goods to meet market demands. Total retail revenue of consumer goods and services was forecast at VND126,074 billion, 7.61% higher than the target and 13.54% higher than in 2022. The export value was projected at US$860 million, equal to the plan and up 7.23% year on year.
In order to support companies to develop their production and business, upgrade technology, improve competitiveness and diversify markets, what solutions has the Kien Giang Department of Industry and Trade implemented?
By regularly reviewing and grasping operations of key companies in the province, the Department of Industry and Trade has actively coordinated with relevant agencies to work with investors and companies and promptly advised the Provincial People's Committee to direct the elimination of difficulties and obstacles hindering industrial investment projects. The department actively deployed solutions to support companies to recover production and business, take part in trade promotion programs like Vietnam Grand Sale 2023 in Kien Giang province from December 4, 2023 to January 10, 2024, launched by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Moreover, the department supported companies and cooperatives to apply e-commerce in production and business and improve competitiveness. The agency developed a plan to upgrade Kien Giang e-commerce platform (kigi.com.vn) in a bid to form a centralized online business environment. In 2023, it assisted over 327 industrial OCOP products made by 187 local producers to promote brands, product information and services, especially agricultural and aquatic products. It supported providing information and spreading information about local export potential of 82 importers and exporters, typical products, One Commune One Product (OCOP) items and key industrial products to the National Export Information Portal administered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (www.vietnamexport.com).
In particular, the Department of Industry and Trade directed reviewing, reduction and simplification of administrative procedures, improved the quality of administrative reform and digital transformation, and enhanced the local business and investment environment. The department announced and fully disclosed administrative procedures; reduced late results; promptly handled legitimate feedback and recommendations from people; and improved the quality of service to people and businesses carrying out administrative procedures and public services in real time in the electronic environment.
The department accelerated the process of digitizing records and results of administrative procedure settlement and storing electronically as planned by the province. It intensified administrative disciplines, office culture and working regulations; used public satisfaction as a measure of service delivered by governmental agencies. The department did not reject or avoid its assigned tasks and it also did not harass or profiteer people in any form. The agency arranged appropriate resources to serve its operations in general and administrative reform in particular and helped the province move towards e-government, digital government and digital citizenship.
To have a sustainable industry and achieve the annual industrial growth of 8% in 2021 - 2025, what solutions has the industry and trade sector advised and implemented?
To realize industrial growth goals, the Department of Industry and Trade has regularly reviewed and urged industrial development; closely coordinated with relevant agencies to attract more investment capital and accelerate the progress of investment projects in industrial zones.
The department has coordinated with localities to review and propose planning orientations, form and develop industrial factory clusters for processing agricultural and aquatic products in material supply areas; worked out the industrial development plan in the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, to be integrated into the general provincial planning as required to create a legal basis for implementation.
At the same time, the Department of Industry and Trade continued to advise the Provincial People's Committee to materialize industrial development plans and industrial zone development plans in accordance with the provincial planning approved by the Prime Minister; counseled competent authorities to introduce industrial cluster development support policies in the province after the Government promulgated a decree on management and development of industrial clusters replacing Decree 66/2020/ND-CP and Decree 68/2017/ND-CP and apply investment and development support policies for priority and key industries in the province.
Thank you very much!
By Nguyen Bach, Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi