Prime Minister: Thai Binh Needs to Reclaim Land from the Sea and Construct a 10-Lane Highway to Connect with Hung Yen Immediately

On the morning of May 12, in Thai Binh province, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working session with the Standing Committee of the Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee to evaluate the leadership in performing political tasks of the Thai Binh Party Committee in the first four months of 2025 and the 2020-2025 term; key directions and tasks for the coming time; and to give opinions on the province’s proposals and recommendations.

Attending the working session were Mr. Tran Hong Minh, Minister of Construction; Mr. Nguyen Huu Nghia, Secretary of the Hung Yen Provincial Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Khac Than, Secretary of the Thai Binh Provincial Party Committee; leaders of central ministries and branches and Thai Binh province.

A Land of Rich Traditions Is Undergoing a Dynamic Transformation

Reports and opinions at the meeting assessed that Thai Binh is a land of rich revolutionary traditions, currently transforming from an agricultural province to a modern industrial, service, and urban development one.

Thai Binh has many advantages to make a breakthrough such as its strategic location connecting the Hanoi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh development triangle, over 50 km of coastline, abundant industrial land funds, and the approval by the Government to establish the Thai Binh Economic Zone with an area of more than 30,000 ha…

In the past time, Thai Binh’s economy has continued to develop. GRDP in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 9.04%, the highest in the same period of 2020-2025 and higher than the country’s GDP growth (6.93%). The average GRDP growth rate in the 5-year period is estimated at 8.36%/year, bringing the scale of GRDP in 2025 to more than VND 151,200 billion, 1.7 times higher than in 2020 and ranking 23rd out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. At the same time, the economic structure has shifted positively; inflation has been controlled, with the average CPI in the first 4 months of 2025 increasing by 2.07% over the same period last year.

The main fields have grown well. Agriculture has developed stably and sustainably, applying high technology. All 51 communes have achieved new rural standards, of which 45 communes have achieved advanced new rural standards; 6 communes have achieved new rural model standards.

Industry has developed rapidly with the main driving force being the processing and manufacturing industry. The industrial production value in the first 4 months of 2025 increased by 17.1% over the same period; the average growth rate in the period of 2020-2025 is estimated at 14.3%/year, higher than in the previous period (13.1%/year). At the same time, supporting industries and component manufacturing have made progress; energy industry has overcome bottlenecks, putting into operation thermal power plants (with a total capacity of 1,800 MW) and actively implementing the LNG Power Project (with a capacity of 1,500 MW). In this term, 4 new industrial parks have been established (Lien Ha Thai, Hai Long, VSIP, Hung Phu).

Trade and services have grown quite well. In the first 4 months of 2025, export turnover increased by 11.1% with export markets reaching 100 countries; total retail sales of goods and service consumption increased by 16.1%, higher than the national average (10%).

The positive production and business situation, along with the implementation of electronic tax collection, has helped budget revenue achieve very positive results. Total state budget revenue in the first 4 months of 2025 reached 67.2% of the estimate, up 60.8% over the same period.

Administrative procedure reform has been promoted; the business investment environment has been improved significantly. In 2024, the Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) ranked 15th; the People’s Satisfaction Index (SIPAS) ranked 21st; and the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) was in the top 30 nationwide.

Business development, investment attraction, and public investment disbursement have had positive changes. Up to now, the whole province has nearly 12,500 enterprises, more than twice as many as in 2020. In the first 4 months of 2025, FDI registered at over USD 585 million, nearly 4 times higher than in the same period, bringing the total FDI registered in the 2020-2025 period to over USD 5.4 billion, 14.5 times higher than in the previous period.

The disbursement rate in the first 4 months is estimated at 20% of the plan assigned by the Prime Minister, higher than the national average (15.6%). Strategic transport infrastructure projects have overcome bottlenecks and been started such as the Hai Phong – Ninh Binh Expressway project through Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces, and the coastal road project.

Social security has been ensured; people’s lives have been improved; political security, social order, and safety have been maintained; and the fields of culture, health, education, and labor… have been paid attention to. The province has paid attention to and organized the movement “Eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide in 2025”, striving to complete before June 20, 2025.

Reclaim the Sea, Develop Strategic Infrastructure to Accelerate and Make a Breakthrough

Speaking at the working session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh basically agreed with the reports and opinions; on behalf of the Government, he acknowledged and praised the efforts and important achievements that the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Thai Binh province have achieved in the past time, making an important contribution to the common achievements of the country.

Further analyzing some difficulties, challenges, limitations, and weaknesses of the province, the Prime Minister stated that Thai Binh has not fully promoted its unique potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages; the economy has not achieved a breakthrough development. The scale of the economy is small, and the efficiency, competitiveness, and quality of growth are not high. Total retail sales and service consumption revenue increased highly but tended to decrease with the results of the first 4 months of 2023, 2024, and 2025 being 17.9%, 16.5%, and 16.1%, respectively.

Orienting the direction for the coming time, the Prime Minister requested to thoroughly assess the unique potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages of Thai Binh, and from there, come up with appropriate, breakthrough solutions, focusing on fulcrum and leverage to achieve double-digit growth in 2025 and develop a breakthrough in the next 5 years.

The Prime Minister pointed out some outstanding advantages of the province such as rich historical and cultural traditions, hardworking people, narrow land but dense population, large labor force, natural conditions, especially the sea and the ability to reclaim the sea, and efficient land exploitation.

Pointing out 5 key tasks,

the Prime Minister requested that it is necessary to first actively and resolutely implement well the rearrangement of administrative units at all levels and the building of local government at two levels, based on closely following the resolutions, conclusions, and directions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the National Assembly.

Emphasizing that the merger with Hung Yen province will create new space and momentum for Thai Binh’s development, the Prime Minister requested to soon stabilize the operation of agencies, paying attention to ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of public services, especially online public services, not interrupting and affecting the operation of agencies, organizations, enterprises, and people; focusing on building a center for public service administration, shifting from a passive to a proactive serving posture.

Second, be determined and resolute in achieving double-digit growth. The province has many conditions to achieve this thanks to political stability, strong agriculture, the building of industrial parks, the development of transport infrastructure, health, education, and society; using state resources to lead and activate all social resources for development, renewing the three traditional growth drivers (investment, export, and consumption) and promoting new growth drivers. The Prime Minister asked the province to diversify products, markets, and supply chains, build brands, improve designs and packaging for products, and research and develop strengths and specialties such as fish cakes and sticky rice cakes…

Third, focus on studying, disseminating, and drastically and selectively implementing the Resolutions of the Politburo on the “quartet of strategies”: science and technology, innovation and digital transformation (Resolution 57), international integration (Resolution 59), law building and enforcement (Resolution 66), and private economic development (Resolution 68).

Fourth, connect the Thai Binh economy with the Red River Delta region, the Central region, through Hai Phong – Quang Ninh connecting with China, connecting the region, and connecting internationally.

Fifth, in the condition of narrow land and dense population, the Prime Minister directed the province to study and build a plan to reclaim the sea to develop the economic zone, industry, ports, and infrastructure; reserve the inland area to develop high-tech agriculture.

Giving directions on 9 specific tasks,

the Prime Minister requested to review the targets and criteria according to the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress and the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress, strive to complete the targets and criteria that have been achieved, and for the targets and criteria that have not been achieved, find solutions and make more efforts to achieve them in 2025.

Along with that, proactively and resolutely implement the Resolutions, Conclusions, and directions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the National Assembly, and the Government; well prepare for Party Congresses at all levels, towards the 14th National Party Congress.

Study and effectively exploit land; develop strategic infrastructure, in which the Ninh Binh – Hai Phong Expressway project through Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces must be completed in 2026.

Promote administrative procedure reform and improve the business investment environment. In 2025, abolish at least 30% of unnecessary investment and business conditions; reduce at least 30% of the time for handling administrative procedures; and reduce at least 30% of the cost of administrative procedures. Timely solve difficulties and obstacles, create the most favorable conditions for people and businesses to operate in production and business.

Along with that, strengthen the guarantee of national defense and security, maintain political security, social order, and safety. Pay attention to ensuring social security, not sacrificing progress, equality, and social security for simple economic growth; take care of health and education, and well organize the high school graduation exam. Be determined to complete the movement “Eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide in 2025” ahead of schedule; implement social housing projects.

Pay attention to building a clean and strong Party and political system, enhancing the leadership and combativeness of Party organizations and members, consolidating and enhancing solidarity and unity.

The Prime Minister basically agreed with the proposals and recommendations of the province, including those related to the development of the Thai Binh Economic Zone, requesting to build specific projects and plans for implementation.

The Prime Minister suggested studying and soon implementing the straightest route with a scale of 10 lanes from the area of Hung Yen city to Thai Binh city, and from there connecting with the Hanoi – Hai Phong Expressway, Phap Van – Cau Gie Expressway, and Ninh Binh – Hai Phong Expressway.

The Prime Minister also agreed in principle and requested the early implementation of the project to invest in the construction of a 1,500-bed general hospital and the project to develop Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy into one of the leading universities of medicine and pharmacy in Vietnam and towards the advanced level in the region and international standards. With the requirement of rapid implementation within about 2 years, the orientation is a smart hospital and a smart university, the Prime Minister said that the Central will support a part of the capital for these projects in the overall implementation of Resolution 57.