Joining the joyful atmosphere of Can Tho City celebrating 20 years as a centrally governed city, on the evening of December 27, Binh Thuy District held a ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its establishment (January 2, 2004 – January 2, 2024), with the aspiration to elevate Binh Thuy District to a new level after two decades of development.
Attending the event were Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Can Tho City People’s Committee; Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tam, Member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Propaganda Department of the Can Tho City Party Committee; along with current and former leaders, revolutionary veterans of Can Tho City, representatives of Military Region 9 Command, Binh Thuy District, and other districts.
The early days of establishment
The ceremony featured numerous cultural and artistic performances celebrating the anniversary.
Binh Thuy District was established under Government Decree No. 05/2004/ND-CP, based on the entire natural area and population of three wards—Binh Thuy, An Thoi, Tra Noc—and three communes—Long Hoa, Long Tuyen, and Thoi An Dong (formerly under Can Tho City). The communes of Long Hoa, Long Tuyen, and Thoi An Dong were subsequently upgraded to wards bearing the same names.
In its early days, besides favorable conditions, the district faced many challenges: underdeveloped and weak transport infrastructure; agricultural land accounting for more than 60% of the natural area; inadequate facilities and equipment for professional activities in several sectors; the absence of proper headquarters for wards, especially the District Party Committee, People’s Committee, and district departments; limited human resources with many officials not meeting standard requirements; constrained budgets while development demands were high. In addition, pressures from urbanization, economic downturns, natural disasters, epidemics, crop failures, and low efficiency in production and business activities significantly affected socio-economic development as well as national defense and security.
However, with timely direction from the City Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee; support from city departments and Military Region 9 Command; the strong determination and efforts of the entire political system; and the unity and consensus of the Party Committee, authorities, and people of the district—together with support from other districts inside and outside the city—Binh Thuy gradually overcame difficulties and challenges, achieving important accomplishments across all fields.
Development orientation: Industry – Trade – Services – Urban Agriculture
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Phan Thi Nguyet, Chairwoman of the Binh Thuy District People’s Committee, stated: “After 20 years of construction and development, Binh Thuy has risen steadily, gradually shaping itself into a civilized and modern urban district of Can Tho City. The district’s economic structure has continued to shift in the right direction: ‘Industry – Trade – Services – Urban Agriculture.’ Economic growth has increased steadily year by year, reaching 8.7% in 2023. Average income per capita, which was just over VND 13 million at the time of establishment, has now exceeded VND 91 million.
Urban beautification, construction and upgrading of transport routes, environmental sanitation, and the development of bright, green, clean, and beautiful streets have always been prioritized. From 2004 to 2023, the district invested in more than 400 projects and works funded by the state budget, with total investment exceeding VND 2,300 billion. Total investment capital in the district in 2023 surpassed VND 10 trillion—nearly 15 times higher than in 2004.
In addition to state-funded projects, each year the district mobilized social contributions from organizations and residents in the form of funds, land, crops, and labor to build bridges and roads, with total contributions over the past 20 years reaching nearly VND 1,000 billion, significantly transforming the local landscape.”
According to the 2020–2025 orientation, Binh Thuy District aims to develop into a civilized and modern urban area of Can Tho City, while accelerating the development of socio-economic infrastructure, urban infrastructure, and logistics services across the district.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tam, Member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Propaganda Department of the Can Tho City Party Committee, emphasized that the achievements Binh Thuy has attained over the past 20 years are the result of dedication, commitment, and unity of many generations of leaders and residents. Building on this tradition, the district should continue to strengthen leadership capacity and combat readiness of Party committees and organizations, and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of governance at all levels.
He also urged Binh Thuy District to closely coordinate with city departments to soon complete the Mekong Delta Agricultural Production, Processing, and Consumption Linkage Center project in Can Tho City, associated with logistics at Can Tho International Airport, to meet domestic and international cargo transit demands. The district should further leverage existing and ongoing transport infrastructure investments to support industrial, trade, service, and tourism development; promote satellite commercial–service centers along Vo Van Kiet Boulevard; attract investment to build new market systems; consolidate and develop urban agriculture; and implement policies to support enterprises producing high value-added, environmentally friendly products within the district’s authority.
On this occasion, Binh Thuy District was honored to receive the Government’s Emulation Flag for outstanding and comprehensive performance, leading the patriotic emulation movement of Can Tho City in 2022.
At the event, social welfare activities were also carried out, including scholarships and bicycles presented to underprivileged students by the district and benefactors, notably contributions from Tay Do Steel Company, demonstrating a strong spirit of community responsibility and care for disadvantaged groups.
