After 50 years of the Liberation of the South and the National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025 and more than 30 years of integration and development, generations of leaders in Song Be province (now Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces) have worked diligently to leave behind a valuable legacy with remarkable achievements in socio-economic development. From a purely agricultural province, Binh Duong has become one of the country’s major industrial production centers, ranking second nationwide in attracting foreign investment with total capital of over US$ 42.6 billion.
Overcoming challenges in development
In the post-war period of peace and national reconstruction, along with other localities in the region and across the country, the Party Committee, government and people of the former Song Be province (now Binh Duong) have made continuous efforts to overcome difficulties and build up a prosperous homeland.
After national reunification, Song Be province (comprising of today's Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc) had an economy mainly based on agriculture and forestry. Industry and handicrafts primarily involved in processing agricultural products like rubber latex, coffee, cashew nuts, timber exploitation and some small-scale traditional crafts. Trade and services were underdeveloped, with a limited commercial network mostly exchanging agricultural goods and essential items. The devastation of war left behind weak infrastructure and limited investment hindered the development of transportation, electricity and water systems, significantly affecting socio-economic progress. Song Be province made efforts to revive the economy post-war and began to see certain structural shifts. By 1997, after being split into Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc, the economic structure of both provinces had markedly changed, especially with Binh Duong making a strong transition toward industry and services.
Former State President Nguyen Minh Triet, former Secretary of Song Be provincial Party Committee recalled that during the 1991–1996 period, Song Be province witnessed strong growth in its gross regional domestic product (GRDP), with the 1996 figure reaching over VND 2.324 trillion, 61 times higher than in 1991. The per capita income in 1996 was VND 3.132 million. So far, Binh Duong’s per capita income has reached VND 182.6 million per year. Throughout the years, the province has defined industry as the core sector and promoted the development of industrial parks (IPs) as the main driving force for local growth. At that time, leaders of Song Be province implemented a policy on “laying out the red carpet to call for investors”, creating favorable conditions for both domestic and international enterprises. The establishment and effective operation of IPs helped shift the economic structure towards industrialization and modernization.
Industrial development associated with ensuring social welfare
Binh Duong was quick to identify industry as a key economic sector and implemented various preferential policies to attract investment. Among them, Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) 1, established in 1996, laid the foundation for green industrial and sustainable production development under Singapore’s environmental standards. The province's focus on synchronous infrastructure development and environmental management during production has contributed to building the VSIP brand recognized both domestically and internationally. Notably, Denmark’s LEGO Group invested US$1.3 billion in VSIP 3 and Truong Hai Group invested over US$ 1 billion in an industrial park in North Tan Uyen district.
Nguyen Van Hung, CEO of Becamex IDC shared that in the mid-1990s, Binh Duong was still known as a purely agricultural area with modest annual State budget revenue. Facing challenges like limited capital, workforce shortages and poor infrastructure, the Party Committee, government and people of the province were presented with a tough question: how to transform Binh Duong from an agricultural land into a developed area, unlocking its potential and creating momentum for a breakthrough.
Bui Manh Lan, CEO of Hung Thinh Trading - Manufacturing - Construction Joint Stock Company, the investor of Dong An Industrial Park, recalled that in 1996, after learning about the province’s policy calling for investment, he came to Song Be to explore the reality and meet provincial leaders. “We were welcomed by former State President Nguyen Minh Triet, then Secretary of Song Be provincial Party Committee and other provincial leaders. They created all favorable conditions for us to work. Thanks to that, in 1997, Dong An IP officially went into operation”, Mr. Lan shared. He also emphasized that the “Spreading out the flower mat to call for investors” policy was the key condition that allowed Binh Duong to achieve outstanding development in all socio-economic fields, ensuring social welfare and creating jobs for people in and out of the province.
After 50 years since the Liberation of the South and the National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025 and more than 30 years of integration and development, it is clear that successive generations of Binh Duong’s leaders have left behind proud legacies and achievements, especially in industrial development, ensuring social welfare and improving the material and spiritual lives of the people.
During the 1991–1996 period, Song Be province identified economic development as the top priority, aiming at achieving a prosperous standard of living for the people. With open and creative investment policies, a series of industrial parks, namely Binh Duong IP, Song Than 1 IP and VSIP 1 were established, laying the foundation for Binh Duong to become one of the nation’s major industrial hubs.
Reported by Minh Duy-Thanh Tuyen-Translated by Kim Tin
