Thai Nguyen shines in digital transformation performance

The One Commune, One Product programme helps bolster sales of agricultural products

At a conference reviewing Vietnam’s 2023 digital transformation situation in Hanoi last month, for the second year in a row Thai Nguyen secured eighth position out of all localities nationwide in the digital transformation index.

The province is one of a few localities taking the lead nationwide in the enactment of a resolution on local digital transformation from 2021-2025 with an orientation towards 2030, known as Resolution 01.

The resolution is being effectively deployed by state bodies, organisations, and units across the province, in which creative and flexible measures have been expedited to materialise the digital economy.

A report by Thai Nguyen Department of Information and Communications shows that since the enforcement of Resolution 01 more than two years ago, the province has posted major achievements in the development of its digital economy.

E-commerce activities have been taken place across the board and at a robust pace, and the province is currently home to 324 digital businesses.

In 2022, total revenues from the digital economy surpassed $35 billion in the province. In the first six months of this year, the figure approximated $15 billion.

As of now, all businesses, organisations, trading households, and individuals in the province are using e-invoices and e-tax declarations, and up to 98 per cent of businesses fulfill tax payment online.

Thai Nguyen has also effectively used digital technology in promoting and boosting the sale of agricultural products.

Currently, over 2,600 local products are on the province’s e-commerce platforms, with over 68,000 activated accounts for local households in agricultural production.

All 128 of the province’s One Commune, One Product items appear on popular e-commerce sites Postmart and Voso.

To ensure effective implementation of Resolution 01’s targets, the province has come up with a wide range of measures to drive the development of the digital economy.

Specifically, to drive non-cash payment practice in the province, the People’s Committee enacted a plan in 2021 concerning payment through the banking system of public services, taxes, power, and water bills, tuition fees, as well as payment of other social allowances.

Another plan was enacted in February 2022 on the development of non-cash payment in the province towards 2025.

Along with this, relevant management agencies and sectors have scaled up support to aid digital business development. Businesses have received consultation on their digital transformation journey and their application of technology and measures on digital platform.

Organisations, units, and diverse local areas have scaled up support for training in e-commerce skills to help local people approach domestic and international markets more quickly and efficiently.

Resolution 01 targets for the digital economy to take up at least 20 per cent of the province’s regional GDP; the proportion of digital economy in each specific field and sector to reach at least 10 per cent; annual productivity to rise by at least 7 per cent annually; and the entire province to accommodate 700 digital businesses by 2025.

By 2030, the plan is for the digital economy to account for 30 per cent of the province’s regional GDP; the proportion of digital economy in each specific field and sector reaches at least 20 per cent; annual productivity raises at least 7 per cent annually; and the entire province accommodates more than 3,000 digital businesses.

Currently, Thai Nguyen is home to six telecom businesses with 1,800 transceiver stations, and the total number of mobile phone subscribers comes to nearly 1.76 million, approximately 134 subscribers per 100 people. According to Thai Nguyen Department of Information and Communications, by the end of this year, it strives to have more than 450 digital businesses; broadband network infrastructure covering all commune-level administrative units; and 4G/5G services reaching full coverage along with smartphone universalisation.

Thai Nguyen hails foreign investment Thai Nguyen is becoming a conducive location for foreign-led investments and expansion.

MDA Group to invest $16.3 million in Thai Nguyen golf course South Korean conglomerate, MDA Group, is set to construct an 18-hole golf course in the Thanh Cong commune, Pho Yen city, with an investment totalling more than VND 387 billion (approximately $16.3 million).

Thai Nguyen offering industrial nous Despite facing myriad hardships, the northern province of Thai Nguyen bagged upbeat signs in industrial production in July, showing the commitment and efficiency of local management in weathering stormy times.