In the face of existing difficulties and challenges, Da Nang is seeing favourable conditions and great opportunities to accelerate development and realise tasks set for 2015 and the five-year period from 2011 to 2015, thus paving the way for new steps with a new vision. Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Huynh Duc Tho, Chairman of Da Nang People’s Committee. Ngo Hoa reports.What are the major socioeconomic development results of Da Nang City in 2014? What difficulties and challenges does Da Nang face in this new phase?
Da Nang City carried out socio-economic development plans in 2014 when global and domestic economies were still in difficulty. But, with the care, guidance and support of all-tiers of government, the city directed agencies, people and the business community to boost production, service, agriculture and employment.
In 2014, the city achieved most socioeconomic development indicators and objectives. The gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at VND41,714 billion in 2014, up 9.28 percent over 2013. Specifically, service sector expanded 8.4 percent, industrial and construction sector increased 11.1 percent, and agriculture enlarged 3.1 percent. Service value was estimated to climb 9.3 percent year on year; tourist arrivals totalled 3.8 million, up 21.9 percent; retail sales of goods and services totalled VND62,586.5 billion, up 17.6 percent; and exports were valued at US$1.155 billion, up 13.8 percent.
In addition to success in socioeconomic development, Da Nang is seeing development difficulties and challenges like low competitiveness of local businesses, weak purchasing power and under-performing enterprises.
Some targets fell short of growth plans in the past year. Retail sales and service value growth were below expectations. The provincial competitiveness index (PCI) rating was high, but some component indices were still low. The city saw it hard to draw foreign investment capital and select high-tech and environment-friendly projects. Although the infrastructure system was quite modern, it was not enough for the city’s development requirements. Da Nang still lacked some world-class conference centres.
Da Nang has entered a new period of development where opportunities and challenges come together. What solutions has Da Nang taken to maintain economic growth and ensure social security?
Da Nang achieved relatively satisfactory results in 2014. The city’s growth rate is among the highest in the country. To sustain economic growth and ensure social security, Da Nang has carried out many consistent solutions as follows:
– Focusing on economic development, integrating social and environmental issues, ensuring sustainable development in integration and development trends; maintaining stable economic growth and ensuring economic restructuring towards the orderly ladder of service, industry and agriculture.
– Continuing to effectively implement five breakthrough directions as stated in the Resolution of the 20th Da Nang Party Congress: service development, particularly tourism, trade and logistics services; high-tech, IT and biotech development; synchronous and modern infrastructure construction; construction of healthy cultural environment and enforcement of humanitarian social policy; and high-quality human resource development.
– Speeding up the effective implementation of the Da Nang service development scheme towards 2020; giving priority to attracting leading corporations from Japan, the US and South Korea to accelerate construction progress and draw more investment capital into high-tech parks to increase value-added fields.
– Focusing resources to pace up the new countryside construction programme; raising the quality of criteria of five communes achieving new countryside criteria and trying to add five communes to the list of qualified communes; speed up offshore fishing in couple with economic development, environmental protection and sovereignty protection; supporting farmers in line with Decree 67/2014/ND-CP of the Government on fisheries development policies.
– Focusing on improving the investment environment, enhancing service quality, quickening up administrative reform, mobilising domestic and foreign investment resources for socioeconomic development; restructuring investment towards reduced public investment and increased social investment.
– Utilising maritime economic resources and advantages, particularly seaports, strengthening market connections to generate new driving force; carrying out social security issues, developing culture, education, training, science, technology, health and sustainable poverty reduction in relation to economic development.
Would you mind telling us the major socioeconomic development objectives and orientations of Da Nang City for the coming years?
2015 is the final year of the five-year socioeconomic development plan from 2011 to 2015. Vietnam and Da Nang City will host a lot of important events during this year. Gross regional domestic product (GRDP) is expected to climb 9 -10 percent over 2014; service value will increase 11-12 percent; industrial production – construction value will enlarge 9-10 percent; agricultural production value will augment 3-4 percent; export turnover will grow 12-13 percent; tax revenue will surpass the yearly plan by 5-10 percent; investment value will reach VND35 trillion; and 30,150 new jobs will be created.
To achieve the above objectives, the city must mobilise all available development resources. Sustainable business development is a core task. The city will also speed up the implementation of five strategic directions and realise all social and economic development criteria set for 2015. It will focus on investment, perfecting infrastructure and urbanisation; expand and enhance the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration; invest in tourism, service and logistics sectors; form high-quality service chains to meet domestic and international demands; draw big businesses to create key products; and successfully carry out the “Year of Culture and Urban Civilisation 2015″ Action Programme.
Đăng ký: VietNam News