* Reporter: Dear Provincial Party Secretary, could you tell us about the outstanding results the province has achieved in 2023?

- Comrade Nguyen Duc Thanh: In 2023, in the context of many difficulties and challenges from the outside as well as from within the province. The Provincial Party Committee has closely followed the direction of the Central, the National Assembly, the Government and forecasted the situation in advance, focused on leading and directing the implementation of tasks in accordance with the local reality; together with the spirit of solidarity, determination and efforts of the entire political system, the business community and the people of all ethnic groups in the province, thereby achieving quite positive results in all fields, with 18/22 targets reaching and exceeding the set targets. The economy has changed positively and increased quite well, ranking 9th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide and 2nd out of 14 provinces in the North Central and Central Coast regions. This is the third consecutive year that the province's socio-economic situation has remained stable and grown well, with an average GRDP increase of 9.40% per year, higher than the average growth rate of the whole country and the South Central Coast region (the average growth rate of the whole country in the past 3 years is estimated at 5.44%; the South Central Coast region is estimated at 6.19%); the economic scale has increased rapidly, 1.5 times higher than in 2020, equal to 78.9% of the set target. This affirms great efforts and attempts in the general context of many difficulties and challenges. The economic structure has shifted in the right direction; the fields of construction, trade, tourism, energy, and industry continue to recover and grow well. Investment promotion and attraction have been strengthened; digital transformation has been promoted; administrative reform has been effective.

April 16 Square (Phan Rang - Thap Cham City). Photo: PN

Culture and society continue to receive attention, social security policies are fully and promptly implemented; care for policy beneficiaries and poor households is better implemented. Successfully organize important activities and events, especially the ceremony to receive the certificate of UNESCO inscription of Cham pottery art on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Ninh Thuan Grape - Wine Festival in 2023, creating good spread and bringing positive effects. National defense, security, politics, order and social safety are ensured; safe defense area drills at all levels are organized, achieving good results.

The results achieved by the Party Committee, people and army in the province in 2023 are extremely important, affirming the solidarity, unity, efforts and endeavors of the entire Party Committee and the unanimous support of the people in the province; creating trust and high consensus in society for Ninh Thuan to enter into the implementation of tasks in 2024, creating a premise for rapid and sustainable development in the coming time.

The work of building the Party and the political system has achieved many positive results in all fields. Leaders organized the study, dissemination and concretization of the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; the resolutions of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat with many innovations in the way of organizing study and dissemination; promptly issued plans and action programs to implement the resolutions, directives and conclusions of the Central Committee for deployment throughout the Provincial Party Committee. Directed the organization of mid-term assessments of the implementation of resolutions of Party congresses at all levels, term 2020-2025. Continued to implement major policies on strengthening the building and rectification of the Party and the political system. Focused on consolidating and building grassroots party organizations and improving the quality of party members. The work of inspection, supervision and Party discipline; prevention and combat of corruption and negativity has been strengthened. Mass mobilization work and activities of the Front and mass organizations continued to change positively, creating high consensus and unity among the people.

* Reporter: The province has identified 2024 as the year of "acceleration". Could you tell us about the province's key tasks and solutions to successfully implement the goals, targets and tasks set out in the 2024 resolution and the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress?

- Comrade Nguyen Duc Thanh: In order to fulfill the goals and tasks of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress, and the 5-year Socio-Economic Development Plan 2021-2025, the province sets out the following main targets: GRDP growth rate from 11-12%; the contribution ratio of total factor productivity (TFP) to GRDP reaches 39-40%; marine economy accounts for 42% of GRDP; digital economy accounts for 12% of GRDP. Budget revenue in the area reaches 4,000 billion VND or more. Total social investment capital is about 22,900 billion VND. The rate of multidimensional poor households according to the new standards decreases by 1.5-2% (Bac Ai district decreases by at least 4%); 70% of communes, wards and towns are comprehensively strong; admit 800 or more new party members; 90% of grassroots party organizations and party members have successfully completed their tasks. To successfully achieve the above goal, the province has set out the following key tasks and solutions:

Regarding the work of building a clean and strong Party and political system: Focus on doing well the ideological work, creating a vibrant competitive atmosphere in the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army, building the will and aspiration to develop Ninh Thuan; resolutely and drastically implementing the tasks right from the beginning of the year. Lead and direct the effective implementation of Conclusion No. 21-KL/TW of the 13th Central Executive Committee on promoting the building and rectification of the Party and the political system; resolutely prevent, repel, and strictly handle cadres and party members who have degraded in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation", in conjunction with the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW and Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW of the 13th Politburo on continuing to promote studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and lifestyle. Seriously and effectively implement the study and follow of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle according to the 2024 theme. Strengthen the work of grasping the ideological situation and public opinion of cadres, party members and people to promptly orient and combat false information, distortion and sabotage of hostile and reactionary forces.

Phan Rang-Thap Cham City's infrastructure is increasingly invested and developed towards a smart, modern urban area. Photo: Van Ny

Effectively implement the Party's resolutions, especially the Resolutions of the 8th Central Conference, 13th tenure; resolutions and directives on Party building and rectification work and the political system. Focus on building a contingent of leaders at all levels with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige, equal to the tasks. Continue to arrange the organization of the political system to be streamlined, operate effectively and efficiently, associated with streamlining the payroll and restructuring the contingent of cadres, civil servants and public employees; arrange administrative units at district and commune levels in the province for the period 2022-2030. Direct and prepare conditions for Party congresses at all levels, towards the 14th National Party Congress. Continue to improve the leadership capacity, fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations and the quality of cadres and Party members; improve the quality of Party cell activities. Strengthen inspection, supervision and enforcement of Party discipline; Organize and effectively implement the inspection and supervision program in 2024. Fully and synchronously deploy groups of solutions to prevent corruption and negativity; strengthen inspection, examination and supervision of sensitive areas that are prone to negativity; on asset and income declaration.

Focus on building and consolidating the great national unity bloc; promote the role of the Front and mass organizations in social supervision and criticism; promote patriotic emulation movements among all classes of people. Direct the organization of the Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels for the 2024-2029 term.

Regarding economic development: Continue to effectively restructure the economy; focus on accelerating the progress of key and inter-regional projects, especially infrastructure projects; perfect mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties for key and breakthrough areas, with room for developing new growth drivers. Effectively implement budget collection solutions; effectively implement the Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, in conjunction with reviewing, supplementing, completing, and organizing the implementation of sectors and fields to ensure synchronization, consistency and compliance with legal regulations. Focus on prioritizing investment resources to build key and urgent infrastructure systems connecting and inter-regional. Improve the efficiency of management and use of public investment capital, ensuring 100% disbursement. Attract effective investment from economic sectors; Strengthen investment promotion, speed up project implementation progress: Thanh Son airport, Ca Na general port phase 2; projects in the Southern key economic zone, industrial, energy, high-tech agriculture, high-end resort tourism projects; pumped storage hydropower projects, power transmission infrastructure, industrial parks; focus on attracting investment in offshore wind power projects, pumped storage hydropower, green technology and post-salt chemical complexes, hydrogen production plants, etc. Effectively implement policies to support "distant sea" exploitation, combat illegal fishing; continue to build Ninh Thuan into a center of high-quality shrimp breeds in the country. Speed ​​up the implementation progress and improve the quality of new rural criteria. Strengthen forest management, land use, mineral resource exploitation, environmental protection. Effectively implement solutions to effectively respond to climate change, restore ecosystems.

Focus on developing urban economy, building Phan Rang - Thap Cham into a smart city. Speed ​​up the completion of construction planning projects; progress of some new urban areas and residential areas; strongly develop the real estate market; compensation and site clearance, especially for key, urgent and large-scale projects.

The Provincial Museum (Phan Rang-Thap Cham City) attracts a large number of people and tourists to visit and learn about the culture and history of the province. Photo: Van Ny

Regarding culture and society: Continue to innovate basic and comprehensive education in conjunction with reviewing and arranging the school network, standardizing the teaching staff and improving the quality of education at all levels. Improve the quality of human resources, especially human resources for key economic sectors of the province. Promote research, transfer and application of science and technology, promote innovation, effectively apply achievements of the fourth industrial revolution; promote digital transformation activities. Continue to effectively implement the work of protecting, caring for and improving people's health, and population work. Implement social security policies well, focusing on policies for people with meritorious services and social assistance; link vocational training with enterprise development. Increase the rate of participation in health insurance and social insurance; synchronously and effectively implement national target programs on sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Preserve and promote the value of cultural heritage; Improve the quality of literary and artistic activities; promote mass sports movements. Strengthen national defense and security, ensure social order and safety.

* Reporter: On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, what message does the Provincial Party Secretary have to send to the entire Party, people and army of the province?

- Comrade Nguyen Duc Thanh: The situation in 2024 is forecasted to have many difficulties and challenges; the tasks are very large. On behalf of the Provincial Party Committee, I call on all cadres, party members and people of all walks of life in the province to uphold the spirit of responsibility, strengthen solidarity and unity to create a combined strength, be more proactive, innovate and be more creative, make the most of and exploit all opportunities for development, overcome all difficulties and challenges, strive to successfully complete the goals, targets and tasks of the 2024 resolution and the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress. I wish all cadres, party members, armed forces, people of the province and children of Ninh Thuan living, studying and working at home and abroad, and the business community a joyful, peaceful and happy New Year, and a new year of new victories.

* Reporter: Thank you, Provincial Party Secretary, for giving Ninh Thuan Newspaper this interview.

Spring Binh