Promoting the potential and advantages of the Southeast region in trade promotion and import and export

The Southeast region includes Ho Chi Minh City and 5 provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh. The provinces and cities in the region are linked and adjacent to many other regions, such as: the North borders the South Central Coast and the Southern Central Highlands, which are regions rich in natural resources and minerals; the West and Southwest borders the Mekong Delta, which has the greatest agricultural potential in the country; the East and Southeast borders the East Sea, rich in potential for marine economic development, especially seafood, oil and gas resources, as well as convenient connection to the most important and busiest international sea route in the world, connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean; the Northwest borders Cambodia, with Moc Bai and Xa Mat border gates (Tay Ninh), facilitating exchanges and cooperation with Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar along the Trans-Asia road route.

Assessing the potential of the region, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said: Possessing outstanding potential and advantages in nature, a strategic economic and political geographical position connecting the economic regions of the Southern region and the whole country with ASEAN countries and the world, the Southeast region plays the role of an economic locomotive and the largest center for trade, industry, tourism and service development in the country; becoming an ideal destination for foreign investors, a potential area for the process of shifting and restructuring the supply chain, creating opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the global production network.

The Southeast plays the role of economic locomotive and the largest center for trade, industry, tourism and service development in the country. Photo: Tien Phong

"In recent times, the Southeast region has become a key economic region of the country, leading in integration, industrial and trade development and investment attraction, with many large-scale, high-tech projects, creating branded products" - Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang said.

Also according to the Trade Promotion Agency - Ministry of Industry and Trade, although accounting for only more than 7% of the total area and nearly 20% of the country's population, the Southeast region is a dynamic economic region, playing an important role in the country's socio-economic development.

In 2023, the region's GRDP growth rate is estimated at 5.06%, higher than the country's growth rate of 5.05%; attracting 11,390 million USD in foreign direct investment, accounting for 31.1% of the economy's FDI capital.

In addition, regarding import and export, according to statistics from the General Department of Customs, the region's import and export turnover in 2023 reached 220.5 billion USD, and in the first 6 months of 2024 it reached 115.7 billion USD, accounting for 31% of the country's import and export turnover. The region's export goods are present in nearly 200 countries and territories, concentrated in traditional markets, especially markets with which Vietnam has free trade agreements such as China, EU, Japan, Korea, ASEAN, etc.

In fact, to realize the aspiration to promote regional economic development, on May 4, 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Decision No. 370/QD-TTg approving the Southeast Regional Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

The planning goal by 2030 is for the Southeast to become a civilized, modern region with developed industry, surpassing the high income threshold, with the material and spiritual life of the people leading the country; the largest growth engine region in the country, dynamic development, high growth rate; a center of science, technology and innovation, high-tech industry, logistics and a highly competitive international financial center in the region.

At the same time, the Decision also identifies that the region needs to take the lead in innovating the growth model, digital transformation, developing the fields of culture, society, education, training, health, developing a green economy, low carbon emissions, and adapting to climate change. Rapidly develop a green, smart, and modern urban system.

On July 31, the Trade Promotion Department will coordinate with relevant units to organize a conference on trade promotion and import-export development in the Southeast region. Photo: Tien Phong

Accordingly, in order to create a new, breakthrough change in promoting the important position and role and exploiting more effectively the development potential and advantages of the region; at the same time, continuing to promote the great results and achievements that have been achieved, overcoming the existing limitations and weaknesses, overcoming the new difficulties and challenges in the development of the Southeast region, experts said that it is necessary to have a series of solutions, including solutions to promote science, technology, chain linkage in production to increase product value, regional linkage in trade promotion activities and import and export on a professional scale.

In order to contribute to promoting the potential and advantages of the Southeast region as well as each locality of the region, making the Southeast region develop more and more strongly, the activities of association and cooperation between localities in trade promotion and import-export need to be deployed and promoted and separate official mechanisms in regional association should be created. In the coming time, on July 31, the Trade Promotion Department will coordinate with relevant units to organize the Conference on trade promotion and import-export development in the Southeast region (the first time was held on December 13 last year in Binh Duong province).

According to the representative of the Trade Promotion Agency, this conference will review what has been achieved or not achieved from the notes that need to be implemented at the conference last year, focusing on the issue of trade promotion and import-export development. Thereby, the conference will discuss to deploy support solutions, connect more closely and effectively inside and outside the Southeast region in trade promotion and import-export development; for the purpose of supporting businesses in the region to grow stronger, helping the region's products and services reach further to domestic and foreign markets.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/phat-huy-tiem-nang-loi-the-cua-vung-dong-nam-bo-trong-xuc-tien-thuong-mai-xuat-nhap-khau-335147.html