In 2018, although the global economy in general, the whole country in particular still faced difficulties and challenges, under the timely leadership and direction of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, the collaboration, good support of all levels, branches, and the efforts of the whole sector and business community, most planned targets of Industry and Trade sector were fulfilled and exceeded. Binh Duong Newspaper had an interview with Nguyen Van Danh, Director of Department of Industry and Trade.
- Sir, how do you assess the performance of the industry and trade sector in the past year?
In 2018, although the domestic economy in general and the province in particular faced difficulties and challenges, most planned targets of this sector were completed and exceeded, due to the timely leadership and direction of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, the collaboration and good support of all levels, sectors and efforts of the whole sector and business community.
Namely, industrial production in the province in 2018 remained stable and achieved good growth; essential industrial products for production and consumption maintained its speed; The production and business situation of enterprises got many good signs. In particular, Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in 2018 increased by 9.79%, exceeding 0.79% compared to target.
An enterprise of auxiliary products in the province.
In addition, domestic commercial activities in the province in 2018 were stable; goods were plentiful with diverse models and designs; domestic goods dominated the market. Thanks to the good implementation of market stabilization program and goods reserve plan before, during and after Lunar New Year 2018, the province anticipated market prices and timely supplied goods, prevented virtual price hikes, guaranteed market prices of essential commodities to be stable, contributing to curbing inflation, implementing social security, serving the people’s shopping needs. In the past year, price of commodity groups in the provincial market was basically stable, businesses increased sales promotion to heighten total retail sales and service revenue of the province. Accordingly, in 2018, the total retail sales of goods and service revenue of the province reached VND 191,000 billion, up 18% compared to the previous year.
In 2018, the province's export turnover maintained a high growth rate in almost major export products, with $25.280 billion, up 15.6% over the previous year. Industrial products were still the main export product group of the province and maintained high growth rate at 12-15%, of which wood, textiles, footwear and electronic products achieved the highest proportion, accounting for about 78.8% of provincial total export turnover.
Regarding electricity supply, Provincial Electricity supplied stable and continuous electricity source, ensuring safety and well serving production and consumption. The electricity sector of the province also solved in time problems of power projects under construction, ensuring electricity for production and consumption.
- Could you please tell more about how the assistance for SMEs in the province was carried out?
- In recent years, Department of Industry and Trade has cooperated with commodity industry associations to improve the quality and operational efficiency of commodity associations, build plans and solutions to member development. Besides, the Department grasped intensive labor training needs of each industry, association, enterprise; reviewed and made statistics of enterprises in the area according to each field and association. The department also held conferences to build relationship with industry associations and domestic investment enterprises to learn about and resolve difficulties of associations and enterprises.
Regarding industrial promotion, in 2018, this sector implemented 34 programs, plans and projects to support business production; sent delegates to participate in domestic and international exhibitions. Besides, the department cooperated with industry associations to host important fairs, seminars and conferences; successfully hosted High-tech Fair with the participation of 54 booths of 33 domestic and foreign enterprises. During the year, the department encouraged enterprises to join programs such as: Women’s startups, Labor fair, Trade fair of handicraft products... In addition, the sector also gave training of fire prevention and fighting, chemical incident safety, energy saving, food safety in production; assisted, gave counsels on saving cleaner production capacity.
- In 2019, which tasks should industry and trade sector focus on to assist businesses, promote production development, sir?
- In 2019, the industry and trade sector continues to implement the 10th Provincial Party Resolution, guidelines and policies of the Government, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee in 2019. Besides, the industry continues to implement well the plans, projects and plans approved by Provincial People's Committee to create favorable conditions for enterprises to develop production. The sector organized conferences to meet industry associations and domestic investment enterprises in 2019 to learn about their thoughts and aspirations, solve their difficulties; enhancing investment promotion in industrial parks in the province to meet the demand for trade and service development in the coming time.
Department of Industry and Trade continues to implement effectively the logistics service development plan in Binh Duong province, the international economic integration program in 2019 according to Provincial People's Committee's approval decision; well perform trade promotion program in 2019. Besides, the department will organize events to connect supplies and demands of wood and handicraft products in Binh Duong province with domestic and foreign partners; assisting enterprises to participate in domestic and foreign exhibitions for product promotion, market expansion, and organizing investment promotion conferences for the province in Europe; continues to enhance the application of e-commerce in Binh Duong province.
Department of Industry and Trade will also implement local and national industrial promotion projects in 2019; strengthen assistance for SME development, rural industrial production establishments, handicraft villages in the province; well perform propagation, support rural industrial establishments to participate in fairs under national industrial promotion programs and projects. The sector will also organize maneuvers of chemical incident response, safety and energy saving, training classes for energy managers. In addition, the sector continues to improve the quality of civil service enforcement; accelerate administrative procedure reform, cost cutting plans in businesses; apply information technology in administrative transactions and office management to create more favorable conditions for businesses.
- Thank you Sir!
Reported by Tieu My – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
