Wishing for a year of accelerated growth.

In the first working days of the new year, we all wish for the health and safety of our comrades, colleagues, friends, and loved ones; and for the country and our homeland to develop further with a bright future. Looking back at 2023, although the country in general and our province in particular faced many unprecedented difficulties and challenges, Ninh Binh province still achieved important and comprehensive achievements, completing and exceeding 14 out of 17 key targets in socio-economic development, Party building, and the political system...

It can be said that, after 32 years since its re-establishment, Ninh Binh province has never experienced such remarkable development as it has today. While 2024 is predicted to still present many uncertainties and unpredictable challenges, potentially more difficult than the previous year, Ninh Binh province will certainly overcome them and continue to develop. This belief has been proven over time and through concrete results.

Last year, the province's GRDP growth rate (7.27%), while not reaching the planned target, was still high compared to the national and regional averages. Ninh Binh's urban and transportation infrastructure has been and is being invested in and developed comprehensively, especially key and important projects that play a strategic role in driving rapid and sustainable socio-economic development in the 2021-2025 period and beyond.

The new rural development program in our province has achieved positive results. To date, all districts have met the new rural development standards, and all cities have completed their new rural development tasks. This is an important foundation for Ninh Binh province to strive to complete the new rural development program by 2025.

Ninh Binh tourism continues to recover and develop strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the quality of tourism services constantly improving. Ninh Binh consistently ranks among the top 15 destinations and the top 10 provinces with the highest number of visitors nationwide, and has been voted by many reputable domestic and international travel websites as an attractive, hospitable, and most beloved tourist destination. In just the three-day New Year's holiday, Ninh Binh province welcomed nearly 313,000 tourists, ranking among the top in the country.

Along with economic development, the socio-cultural aspects of our province continued to see many positive changes and advancements last year. Areas such as education and training, healthcare, labor, social affairs, and poverty reduction all achieved encouraging results. In particular, last year our province organized many traditional festivals and cultural and artistic activities... ensuring safety, healthiness, uniqueness, and impressiveness. Many of these artistic programs and activities were of significant importance, contributing to the preservation, safeguarding, and promotion of traditional cultural values, fostering patriotism, and strengthening national unity.

In addition, Ninh Binh has successfully organized many national and international conferences and seminars. Political security and social order and safety are ensured; local defense and military work is strengthened; and foreign relations, integration, and international cooperation are expanded...

The achievements of the past year and since the beginning of the 2020-2025 term have created the premise and foundation for Ninh Binh province to accelerate the successful implementation of socio-economic development goals in 2024, reaching its targets faster.

The targets, tasks, and solutions for socio-economic development in 2024 and the remainder of the 2020-2025 term have been clearly outlined by the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, and all levels, sectors, and localities. It should be noted that this is the starting year for implementing the particularly important strategic task of focusing on building and developing Ninh Binh province into a millennium heritage city, within the overall goal of making Ninh Binh a relatively prosperous province by 2030, basically meeting the criteria for a centrally-governed city, and becoming a centrally-governed city by 2035. At that time, Ninh Binh will be a "creative city; a national and international center for tourism, industry, and culture; and a leading automotive industry center in the country...".

By realizing this development direction, the people of Ninh Binh will find happiness right on their own land. While we know that pioneering will inevitably face many difficulties and challenges, we have firm confidence that Ninh Binh province will achieve its goals.

When the "Party's will and the people's aspirations" align, unity and shared aspirations will create a crucial internal force that determines the development of the homeland. The intelligence, courage, innovation, dynamism, and creativity of the leadership at all levels, especially the top leaders, along with leveraging the elements of Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, will propel Ninh Binh forward rapidly, strongly, and steadily towards its goals.

As we reflect on the past and look forward to the future, we all share a common wish for a peaceful 2024, for the country to develop and prosper, for the people to be happy, and for Ninh Binh province to have smooth sailing and accelerate towards its goals on its journey towards the future.

Nguyen Dong

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