PM Pham Minh Chinh at Ford Vietnam factory (Photo: VNA)

Hai Duong – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a working visit to northern Hai Duong province on March 15, during which he toured economic and social facilities, such as Ford Vietnam Co.Ltd and local social protection centre, and attended a ceremony to recognise the province’s fulfillment of the new rural development task.

The PM held a working session with Ford Vietnam Co.Ltd at its factory in Hai Duong province.

Ford Mortor is one of the first US companies to invest in Vietnam since the normalisation of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1995. The company's production line in Hai Duong began operation in the fourth quarter of 1997.

With its initial designed capacity of 14,000 vehicle a year, Ford Vietnam from 2020 raised its Hai Duong assembly plant's annual capcity to 40,000 vehicles, generating jobs for over 1,600 workers. This is also one of Ford's key plants in the Asia-Pacific.

Last year, Ford Vietnam contributed more than 2 trillion VND (84.8 million USD) to the province's state budget.

Speaking at the event, PM Chinh wished that Ford Vietnam would expand investment in and transfer new technology to Vietnam, and participate in human resources training for Hai Duong in particular and Vietnam in general.

Vietnam commits to creating the most favourable business environment via fine-tuning policies and mechanisms to reduce logistics costs and step up administrative reform while maintaining political stability, security and safety, Chinh said.

The same day, PM attended a ceremony to recognise the province’s fulfillment of the new rural development task.

During 2011-2021, Hai Duong raised over 58.3 trillion VND (2.53 billion USD) to build new-style rural areas, resulting in important achievements in agricultural production.

The province is now home to 178 new-style rural communes, with 43 achieving advanced new rural standards and others meeting exemplary standards. Twelve districts, cities and town achieved the exemplary status and completed the task. On March 16 last year, the Prime Minister issued a decision recognising the province for completing the task in 2020.

Speaking at the ceremony, the PM stressed that agriculture, farmers and rural areas hold a strategic position in the cause of industrialisation, modernisation, national construction and defence.

The Party and State have issued a number of important policies and guidelines, setting new rural development as a key, regular and long-term task.

By the end of 2022, all communes of 18 provinces nationwide had achieved the title. The provinces of Dong Nai, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Hung Yen and Hai Duong were recognised by the PM for the title, he said.

Chinh asked the province to effectively realise the Resolution on the development of agriculture, farmers and rural areas till 2030 with a vision to 2045 which was adopted at the fifth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee. The Resolution will contribute to the success of the National Target Programme on new rural development.

Hai Duong was urged to develop synchronous socio-economic infrastructure, and change its "agricultural production mindset" to an "agricultural economic mindset". It was also asked to shift from "seeking markets" to "studying markets" in order to move towards "order-based agriculture". They need to continue restructuring the agriculture sector towards clean, organic and high-tech production, build concentrated material zones and developing One Commune, One Product (OCOP) items for the market.

The PM directed the province to develop education, health care, culture while improving business environment, simplifying administrative procedures and developing processing industry and supporting services.

He believed that with new spirit, motivation, determination and aspirations, Hai Duong would continue reaping achievements in socio-economic development and new rural development in the coming time.

In the afternoon, the PM visited the local social protection centre in Hai Duong city.

The centre is home to 200 staff members who provide care, support, education and vocational training for nearly 477 orphans, people with disabilities and mental illness, and lonely elders.