Part 1: Striving to enhance export capacity
Binh Duong province has been actively and proactively integrating into the global economy, making full use of the advantages brought by the free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed to boost the export of key products with high added value. Thanks to its achievements, Binh Duong was recently honored as the third-ranked locality among provinces and cities with the highest overall score (34.02 points) in the evaluation index for FTA implementation performance.
Enhancing integration capacity
In 2024, Binh Duong recorded a trade surplus of US$9.992. The province had six export items with a turnover exceeding US$1 billion each, with a total export value of US$19.31 billion, accounting for 56.17% of the province’s total export value. Among these six items, the export of steel and related products increased by 32.4%; wood and wood products by 17.6%; textiles and garments by 15.1% and footwear by 13.8% among others. According to provincial Department of Industry and Trade, in 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, most of the province’s key export items have seen growth. Enterprises have effectively taken advantage of the FTAs that Vietnam has signed and implemented to expand exports to these markets.
Bui Minh Tri, Vice Chairman of provincial People’s Committee stated that in 2024, provincial People’s Committee issued the Decision No. 1093/QĐ-UBND regarding the implementation plan for Binh Duong’s international economic integration activities in 2024. The objective of this plan is to strengthen information dissemination and capacity-building for international economic integration, particularly focusing on promoting major international integration events in 2024 and providing in-depth information about the FTAs that Vietnam is a part of. Special attention is given to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Additionally, the province has aimed at boosting coordination in implementing specialized integration activities between Binh Duong and the Intersectoral Steering Committee for International Economic Integration, along with ministries and central agencies. The is also seeking to enhance activities related to research, forecasting on international integration trends.
In addition, the province is implementing a plan to concretize the Party's guidelines, policies and programs related to international economic integration. The aim is to effectively uphold opportunities while minimizing challenges and negative impacts arising from FTAs. At the same time, the plan focuses on promoting Binh Duong’s potential and strengths, fully capitalizing on all available resources to foster rapid and sustainable socio-economic development, improve the material and spiritual lives of the local people, maintain political and social stability, enhance national defense and security…
Phan Thi Khanh Duyen, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Industry and Trade stated that the industry and trade sector has been stepping up communication efforts to raise awareness of the Party’s guidelines, State policies and laws on international integration, FTAs, import-export markets and trade defense measures. She emphasized the task of diversifying communication methods and using appropriate information channels to widely disseminate knowledge about FTAs that Vietnam is involved in to agencies, organizations, enterprises and residents across the province. “We frequently coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and overseas trade offices under the Ministry of Industry and Trade to stay up to date on market developments and demands. This information is then shared with businesses to help them be proactive in production and business operations. We are also boosting support for enterprises in using e-commerce platforms and participating in major domestic and international e-commerce marketplaces to serve their export needs”, Mrs. Duyen said.
Proactively preventing and responding to risks
According to Pham Van Xo, Chairman of Binh Duong Import-Export Association, various sectors have supported and encouraged businesses, cooperatives and production facilities in the province to boost production, innovate, improve product quality, enhance competitiveness, expand consumption markets and move towards effective export strategies. Amid increasingly fierce international competition, enterprises must improve their competitiveness, foster innovation and enhance the quality of their products and services. In addition, they need to proactively prevent and respond to potential risks such as market fluctuations, technical trade barriers and unfair competition. Enterprises should also pay attention to issues of sustainable development and ensuring social welfare during the process of international integration.
Truong Thuy Lien, Vice President of Binh Duong Leather and Footwear Association stated that Binh Duong has proactively organized and effectively implemented communication and awareness-raising activities for enterprises regarding international economic integration in general and the specific FTAs that Vietnam participates in. This includes highlighting the opportunities and challenges presented by these FTAs in doing business with foreign partners. The province has also organized conferences to introduce new, high-potential export markets; coordinated with the Inter-agency Steering Committee on International Economic Integration to promote export potential and enhance businesses' capacity to respond to trade defense cases. For enterprises, the most essential requirement is to strengthen internal capabilities and adapt to the demands of various markets... (To be continued)
In 2024, Binh Duong signed four cooperation documents with international partners, including a friendly cooperative relationship with the city of Heidelberg (Germany); a Letter of Intent for cooperation, exchange and friendship with Henan Province (China); a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB); an MoU on the “Urban Growth Partnership Program” with Becamex IDC and Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH).
Reported by Tieu My-Thanh Tuyen-Translated by Kim Tin
