Dong Son's prospects

Proud to have been the "capital" of the former Dong Hoi City during the resistance war against the US, Dong Son ward has expanded in size and population through several mergers. Following the historical trajectory of the đổi mới (renovation) period, and leveraging its natural advantages, fertile land, and abundant labor force, Dong Son will strive to expand its industries, develop comprehensively, and build a civilized and modern urban area west of the provincial capital.

Dong Son Ward Center today

Ancient land

When mentioning Dong Son today, many people will remember the "place names, village names" that have gone down in history. One of them is Trang Hamlet. Looking back to the past, during the days of American imperialist bombing, Dong Hoi (now the two wards of Dong Hoi and Dong Thuan) became a fierce battleground.

Thousands of people originally from Dong Hoi evacuated to the west of the old city, including Trang hamlet. After the war ended, some did not return to the city but remained attached to their land and village, working together to build a new life and create a beautiful rural landscape. From a once impoverished area, the hardworking people have now transformed it into a lush green hillside, where trees bear fruit and blossoms...

Located 12km west of Dong Hoi city center, Thuan Duc, nestled against the majestic Truong Son mountain range and facing the East Sea, was the province's first base during the early stages of the resistance against the French in 1947.

Although it served as a base for only a short time, Thuan Duc area holds many important historical events, leaving a strong mark on the resistance history of the Party Committee, army, and people of Quang Binh. Currently, the Thuan Duc war zone still retains traces of its former site on Thuan Phong hill, covering an area of ​​10,000 square meters, serving as a place for educating future generations about revolutionary traditions.

Returning to the Thuan Duc revolutionary base, many people still retain the same feelings about a land rich in camaraderie during the war and resilient in peacetime. Today, walking on the new roads with a synchronized system of electricity, roads, schools, clinics, and cultural centers; passing through lush, fertile gardens, one can feel the revival and flourishing of this revolutionary homeland.

The former Dong Hoi City had 15 communes and wards, which have now been divided into 3 new wards: Dong Hoi Ward, formed by merging the entire natural area and population of the communes and wards of Bao Ninh, Duc Ninh, Nam Ly, Dong Hai, Dong Phu, Duc Ninh Dong, Phu Hai, and Hai Thanh; the office is located at the former Dong Hoi City People's Committee headquarters. Dong Thuan Ward, formed by merging the entire natural area and population of the communes of Loc Ninh, Quang Phu, and Bac Ly Ward; the office is located at the Bac Ly Ward headquarters and the Quang Phu Commune headquarters. Dong Son Ward, formed by merging the entire natural area and population of the communes of Nghia Ninh, Thuan Duc, and the wards of Bac Nghia and Dong Son; the office is located at the Dong Son Ward headquarters, Bac Nghia Ward headquarters, and the Bac Nghia Ward Police Station.

Prospects for the new land

From a locality with an area of ​​19.55km2 and over 10,000 inhabitants, after the merger, Dong Son ward now has an area of ​​88km2 and a population of nearly 32,400 people (based on the merger of the entire natural area and population of Dong Son ward, Bac Nghia ward, Nghia Ninh commune and Thuan Duc commune).

The one-stop service center in Dong Son ward has commenced operations to serve the people.

The four localities are adjacent to each other; share unique characteristics and common features in terms of historical and cultural traditions; have similar customs and living habits of the people; have a convenient transportation system for socio -economic development and people's transactions; and ensure balance and similarity in scale between the new administrative units and other commune-level administrative units in the area.

According to Doan Hong Quan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Son Ward, while previously Dong Son was mostly inhabited by retired officials and a segment of the population engaged in traditional, small-scale trading, it has now become a large locality with diverse industries, ranging from livestock farming and agriculture to small-scale handicrafts. The development of industrial and handicraft zones and clusters has created jobs for many workers.

The area currently has a highway under construction and several large-scale projects in development, creating opportunities for people to develop service industries. In particular, the abundant land resources allow people to develop forestry and expand integrated economic models. As a result, many key agricultural products have been recognized as OCOP products, meeting VietGAP standards, and producers are maintaining and expanding production.

“With relatively favorable soil conditions, the production facility currently has 2 hectares of well-developed raw material cultivation, along with purchasing from farmers in neighboring areas. Each year, the facility produces about 50 liters of lemongrass oil and 120 liters of cajeput oil, providing employment for 6 seasonal workers and dozens of indirect workers. The cajeput and lemongrass essential oils produced by Co Nguyet's family have been recognized as OCOP 3-star products.”

"To maintain our brand and ensure the quality and reputation of our products reaching consumers, we will expand our scale and invest in modern equipment for essential oil production in the future. We hope that relevant departments and localities will provide support to help our products quickly reach the market," shared Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet, owner of a tea tree and lemongrass essential oil production household.

Although the localities have only recently merged, and there are income disparities among residents, ranging from 50-60 million VND per person per year, with considerable potential and room for growth, it is hoped that in the near future, Dong Son will leverage its internal strengths, seize every opportunity to develop, improve and balance the income and living standards of its people, and make breakthroughs to stand alongside the newly merged central wards of the provincial capital.

Huong Tra

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/trien-vong-dong-son-195479.htm