The Southern economic quadrilateral includes: Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, which make great contributions to the State’s budget (30% of the total national budget). After the current work in Dong Nai, economic experts pointed out to possibilities to develop Dong Nai’s urban – industry – the 2 field that people think can no longer be able to develop more.
In order to develop in the near future, experts advised that Dong Nai needed to focus on taking all the advantages available and minimize all the limitations.
Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Highway reduces the distance between Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City’s urban areas. Photo: Long Thanh Bridge – a part of the Highway
Renovating the industry
Ph. D Tran Du Lich revealed “the arc” of Southern industrial development: Ben Luc (Long An) – Binh Duong – Dong Nai – Ba Ria – Vung tau.
On this arc, Dong Nai has the most advantages in industrial development. According to planning, Dong Nai is the central place for industrial development of the whole areas as it has all the advantages to develop the industries. It is not a random that many people decided to establish the industries there a century ago. Dong Nai has all the potential to develop its industries. As there are some movements in industrial development, the province should have calculations to increase its value of benefits.
About early industrial development, according to Former Minister of Ministry of Industry and Trade – Mr. Tuong Dinh Tuyen, FDI attraction started early; thus, the provincial main attractions were low quality industries that mainly depended on labor force (textile, footwear, timber). These industries will no longer be our strength in the future and the transferring to higher value industries is a compulsory. “Early investment attractions have boosted strength and weakness since our perception then and now are not the same. We are now far behind from the world development and it is time for Dong Nai to restructure the industries to create new ways of development” – Said Mr. Tuyen.”
According to the economics experts, Dong Nai needs to renew its industries; specifically, attracting only hi-tech industries with high added value worth the title of the Industrial Center. Ph.D Vu Viet Ngoan – Chairman of National Financial Supervisory Commission, valued Dong Nai’s orientation to focus on the hi-tech industrial zones, which will bring huge values for the long term development.
The urban motivation
According to Ho Chi MinH City urban planning, Dong Nai has 3 urban areas: Bien Hoa City, Nhon Trach District and Long Khanh Town, which have the the development space that no other area has (according to Ph. D Tran Du Lich’s comment); especially Nhon Trach urban area, with Cat Lai bridge, Nhon trach can be developed as far as District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City and its urban area can be developed to be more beautiful than the Southern of Sai Gon. Answering the question “Why have Nhon Trach not become a City after years of planning?” Ph. D Tran Du Lich said, this was because the district lacked of connecting infrastructure and only focused on industrial development, when only commercial and service can make an urban area. “How can a strong industry make an area urbanized if the workers still have to live in hostels with low incomes? However, in long term, when the infrastructure is better connected, this place will be a better urban area than the Southern of Sai Gon” – said Mr. Tran Du Lich.
Although Long Thanh has not been urbanized, experts recognize that it will soon become a remarkable urban area in Dong Nai after Long Thanh airport is completed. This place will become an urban area serving Long Thanh airport logistics services. To take the good uses of these potential, according to Ph. D Truong Van Phuoc – Deputy Chairman of National Financial Supervisory Commission, Dong Nai needs to have the orientation and be ready to develop the industrial urban area, which will help develop not only our economy but also the provincial industries.
Van Nam
