10:25:53 PM | 8/11/2010
In commemoration of the 35th southern liberation and reunification anniversary (April 30, 1975 - 2010), and the International Workers Day (May Day) and the 120th birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 - 2010), Binh Duong province started the construction of Binh Duong New City, opening a new era of local socioeconomic development, aiming to become an modern industrialised city.
Building a new city
Binh Duong province is located in the southern key economic zone where Ho Chi Minh City is the largest economic and financial centre in the country and Dong Nai province is a pioneer in industrialisation. According to the development orientation, the southern key economic zone will play a pioneering role in promoting the economic development in the southeast region in particular and the entire country in general. From this direction, Binh Duong province has invested in infrastructures, and boosted industrial development. As a result, from an agriculture-based province, Binh Duong has become an industry-oriented province within 10 years, with a double growth relative to the national average. At present, the industry contributes 62.3 % to the province’s GDP, followed by services with 32.4 % and agriculture with 5.3 %. Binh Duong is one of the localities with the highest industry proportion in GDP.
In addition to its industrial development, Binh Duong has also built and developed urban infrastructures to create a balance in sustainable economic development and attract investment. The most outstanding project is the construction of Binh Duong New City on an area of 1,000 ha. The City, which has been approved by the Government, consists of centralised political administrative centre, Hi-tech park developed by Mapletree Group (Singapore), International Mien Dong University, KinderWorld School, commercial - financial - banking centre, Grade-A office buildings, luxury residences (apartments, villas) accommodating 125,000 residents and over 400,000 people to work.
Binh Duong New City is designed to be a convergence of intelligence and technological powers. Orientation plays an important role in planning functional zones, infrastructures and solutions consistent with international standards and vision while reflecting the autonomy of Binh Duong in the process of economic globalization, creating a breakthrough in attraction of technology and knowledge being poured into Vietnam, and laying a stepping stone for the province to develop a knowledge-based, technology-based economy. The heart of the city will be built first and satellite items will be constructed afterwards.
To create consistency in management, construction and development, the province has invited the famous architects in the country and in the world to design large, motive items. This work makes planners, designers and architects proud of what they have made to the development of the new city. The successful performance of domestic and foreign companies in industrial parks is also an element for Binh Duong to reach the status of an industrial city sooner.
The new city is going on track with its green, clean, beautiful and environment-friendly criteria. The traffic systems have been built and connected with national roads; subways and elevated rails will be built and connected with Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding urban zones to shorten the travelling time and distance from the centre of the city with other places; and telecom, electric systems are built underground. Particularly, a 75-ha central lake has been completed and created deep impression on visitors. Investors of high-rise apartments, commercial centres, ecological villas, financial and banking centres, commercial offices, information technology facilities, schools, fitness and sporting centres, hotels, restaurants and supermarkets are being built.
Internal and external links
The Binh Duong New City is located in the most important part and will the centre of commercial exchange, services and technology transfer. This will be also the traffic link with the world.
It will be the nucleus associating Thuan An and Di An districts and Thu Dau Mot Town. These localities have significant industrial and service development in recent years and healing blemishes to become modern urban zones. Ben Cat, Dau Tieng, Tan Uyen and Phu Giao districts are attracting more investment to expand economic development and transport infrastructures to link with the centre of the city.
The new city centre also connects with other economic zones in the province, mainly 28 industrial parks like VSIP I, Dong An, Song Than, VSIP II, My Phuoc, Bau Bang, Nam Tan Uyen, Dau Tieng and Phuoc Hoa. Companies in these industrial parks will easily access new technologies and sciences to produce products of higher value and technological content.
The Binh Duong New City easily connects with the southern economic zone, Central Highlands provinces, south-western provinces, Ho Chi Minh Road and other major provincial roads surrounded with Ho Chi Minh City. Specially, the new city will be linked with the Long Thanh - Dau Giay Highway, National Road 1A , Long Thanh International Airport, international seaports.
Notably, the centralised political - administrative centre is designed CPG Corporation of Singapore. This is a breakthrough step of the provincial government in administrative reform.
The city will also comprise of Mien Dong International University and Mapletree High-tech Park. These facilities are very important to the economic development of the province and the entire southern key economic zone.
Mien Dong International University, which was built on an area of 26 ha in the heart of the new city by Becamex IDC, will train 24,000 students a year. The university will open the first course in the 2010 - 2011 academic year with major training fields: technical, business administration, corporate finance and nursing. Training curricula and equipment meet international standards. The university will provide high-quality personnel for thousands of companies operating in Binh Duong province and southern key economic zone.
Also at the heart of the new city, Singapore's Mapletree Group has invested US$400 million to develop on a 75-ha high-tech park, which will transfer technologies and modern business processes to Vietnam to help companies to develop and test new products.
Mien Dong International University, Vietnam Germany University, Thu Dau Mot University, Binh Duong University and the high tech park will provide enough workers and scientists for the province and the country. This is a core featuring the "City of Industry, Education and Training."
Ph.D Nguyen Anh Dung