In 2020, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, most foreign affairs, trade and investment promotion of Vinh Phuc province were affected, with some activities even being delayed. Not many foreign delegations came to the province to explore the investment environment and many diplomatic events scheduled to be held in the province during the year were postponed. However, with working efforts of relevant bodies, specific cooperation programs were maintained and implemented effectively while new cooperation programs were figured out.
In 2020, to focus on preventing the Covid-19 epidemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs actively advised adjusting external activities to promptly adapt to the new situation: Establishing delegations to visit, encourage and support local FDI companies to deal with emerging hardships; supporting translation/interpretation, joining local epidemic prevention forces; advising and encouraging Covid-19 epidemic prevention at foreign localities that established cooperation ties with the province; proposing support for foreign experts, workers and their relatives allowed to enter Vietnam; and advising the province to welcome and work with 10 foreign ambassadors in Vietnam.
To engage non-governmental aid, the department also actively coordinated with other sectors to mobilize and attract non-government aid from foreign organizations and individuals, overseas Vietnamese and enterprises in the province. The aid is valued at over US$1 million in 2020.
Given the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic, to develop the province’s foreign affairs for completing the task of building and developing the province according to given goals to welcome the 17th Provincial Party Congress and the 13th National Party Congress, the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to advise the provincial government to maintain and develop friendly cooperation relations with other countries, effectively tap partnerships with foreign localities; adjust foreign activity plans in light of the specific situation, take economic diplomacy as the focus, attract more nongovernmental aid, promote cultural diplomacy and proliferate external information on Vinh Phuc province.
In the coming time, the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to foster communications to raise the awareness of Party committees, authorities, Fatherland Front units and mass organizations on the position, role and importance of diplomacy in the current period; organize a close, synchronous and comprehensive coordination on foreign affairs of the Party, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, and mobilize the combined strength of the entire political system for foreign affairs. At the same time, the department will actively disseminate information about the country and people of Vietnam and foreign policies of Vietnam. The agency will strengthen innovation and constantly improve the quality of external information; develop and implement plans to connect information with diplomatic missions, consulates of foreign countries in Vietnam and diplomatic missions and consulates of Vietnam in foreign countries in 2021- 2025; focus on further promoting communications on international integration on the mass media; and consolidate and reinforce traditional relations with foreign countries towards multilateralization and diversification of foreign affairs.
Investing in Transport Infrastructure to Promote Economic Development
Vinh Phuc has mobilized many resources to invest in developing synchronous and modern transport infrastructure connecting urban areas, residential areas and industrial zones inside and outside the province, thereby promoting businesses and the provincial economy. Vietnam Business Forum had an interview with Mr. Le Van Kien, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport of Vinh Phuc province.
How ready is the transportation infrastructure of Vinh Phuc province to meet the needs of the people, businesses and investors?
In recent years, the transport infrastructure of Vinh Phuc province has witnessed strong development. Many important roads of the province have been renovated, upgraded, newly built and put into use, improving the appearance of urban and rural areas; strengthening connection; improving competitiveness; attracting investment; developing industries, services - tourism and contributing to promoting socio-economic development.
The traffic system in the province is reasonably distributed to ensure smooth traffic. The internal traffic network connected with the external traffic network has been interested in investing and upgrading.
Implementing the Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress, which tasks and solutions will the transport sector advise and implement in the period 2021-2025?
Implementing the Resolution of the 17th Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Congress, one of the tasks of the transport industry is to continue to make a breakthrough in investment in developing synchronous and modern transport infrastructure to suit the target: Urban development in a sustainable direction, being the basis for Vinh Phuc to become a grade I city to soon become a city under central authority. Accordingly, the transport industry proposes a number of solutions to develop transport infrastructure in the term 2021-2025 as follows:
Firstly, the work of planning must go ahead, associated with reality; closely coordinated with relevant departments and localities in the planning, ensuring that the planning content of transport infrastructure must meet the requirements of the rapid development of the province with a long-term, synchronous vision, linking seamlessly with national and regional planning.
Second, the province must concentrate resources on building major and essential projects for socio-economic development in the province.
Third, it is necessary to focus on implementing solutions to improve the quality of traffic projects, from project appraisal to construction and operation, ensuring the highest quality.
Fourth, Vinh Phuc must make efforts to complete the construction of traffic works on schedule, with high quality, to ensure investment efficiency. At the same time, the province attaches importance to the maintenance of transport infrastructure assets to efficiently use capital resources.
Fifth, the province continues to effectively implement administrative reform, and strongly apply information technology in management and operation of agencies and units.
Can you tell us some outstanding results in the implementation of the "Rural transport development project in Vinh Phuc province in the period of 2017-2020" (Decision 42/2016/QD-UBND of the Provincial People's Committee)?
After 4 years of implementing the Rural Transport Development Project, the whole province now has hardened 1258 km of commune roads, reaching 100%, and 112/112 communes (100%) meeting new rural standards in which criterion 2 – transport is a difficult and compulsory criterion in building new rural areas. The results of building new rural areas in the province in recent years have contributed significantly to the movement of building and developing rural areas, and in-field traffic to create the face of a civilized and modern countryside.
The adjusted master plan on transport development until 2020 and vision to 2030 will soon be approved by the People's Council of Vinh Phuc province. What are the outstanding points in this adjustment compared to the previous master plan (according to Decision 3779/QD-CT dated December 16, 2010)?
Adjusted master plan on transport development of Vinh Phuc province until 2020 and vision to 2030 is built with outstanding highlights compared to the transportation development plan approved in Decision 3779/QD-CT dated 16 December 2010, as follows:
(1) Adjust the planning in accordance with the province's socio-economic development orientation.
(2) Develop a synchronous, sustainable and modern transport infrastructure network.
(3) Prioritize the development of the urban framework infrastructure of Vinh Phuc to develop Vinh Phuc urban area into a grade I city, towards becoming a city directly under the Central Government; strengthen the connection between the urban area and other economic regions, paying special attention to connecting with neighboring provinces, the northern key economic region, the capital and the whole country.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi