2023 was a year of significant economic fluctuations, but for David Duong, Chairman and CEO of California Waste Solutions (CWS - USA) and Vietnam Waste Treatment Company Limited (VWS), and President of the Vietnamese-American Business Association (VABA), it was a year of many milestones. He once again contributed to building a positive image of his homeland, Vietnam, in the eyes of the international community in general and the United States in particular.
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| Mr. David Duong, Chairman and CEO of California Waste Solutions (CWS - USA) and Vietnam Waste Treatment Company Limited (VWS), and President of the Vietnamese-American Business Association (VABA). |
2023 was a challenging year for the business community and domestic and foreign investors. What was the most satisfying aspect of the past year for you?
I have always believed that I am a son of Vietnam. Therefore, I always seize every opportunity to introduce Vietnam to American politicians and businesses, to bring the best things back to my homeland, create jobs for Vietnamese people, and bring in foreign currency to build the country.
My greatest aspiration in 2023 was to bring American politicians and investors to Vietnam to explore opportunities for direct investment. During his visit to Vietnam, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao recognized CWS as a leading waste management company in California. CWS is also a symbol in California of Vietnamese Americans returning to their homeland to invest and do business.
The trip has helped open doors to the future, promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation between localities of Vietnam and the United States.
Returning to VWS's project in Vietnam, during his recent visit, he shared that, in the current challenging environment, entrepreneurs must be even more astute in their analysis and find their own unique path. Could you tell us what kind of unique path VWS has taken in Vietnam?
As an entrepreneur, you must always be creative, diligently seek out new things, things that few people do or haven't done yet, in order to create opportunities for yourself.
For example, regarding the Waste-to-Energy Conversion Project at the Da Phuoc Waste Treatment Complex (Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City), at the request of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, we meticulously prepared and submitted a project proposal for a waste-to-energy conversion with a capacity of 3,000 tons/day and an investment of over 400 million USD. After extensive research and surveys in many countries, we decided to choose Japanese technology for this project. Our partner receives assistance from the Japanese government , which will contribute to reducing the cost of waste treatment through incineration technology. This is also a key advantage of the project.
And what about the CWS Project in the United States, sir?
We have found a new direction in waste management in the United States. Specifically, we are researching how to utilize paper and trees from organic waste to produce energy pellets as an alternative to coal. This also helps minimize landfilling and reduce the cost of waste treatment compared to incineration. Beyond the United States, I plan to expand the production of these energy pellets to Vietnam in the near future.
Additionally, we have just completed a container home manufacturing plant with an initial investment of $25 million, located in Mexico. These housing units will be supplied to US states to address homelessness, and have been highly praised by city governments and the Governor of California.
As the Chairman of VABA, what is your greatest aspiration?
Regardless of the circumstances or position, my greatest aspiration is to contribute as much as possible to my homeland and country. For nearly 20 years investing in Vietnam, I have always focused on the community. In Ho Chi Minh City, we annually allocate billions of dong from the budget to care for the poor… In Long An, we also established the David Duong Community Support Fund. For over 10 years, the Fund has helped thousands of poor people access capital to increase production, escape poverty, and rise to prosperity.
As the Chair of VABA, I have more opportunities to connect overseas Vietnamese and businesspeople, encourage them to return to Vietnam to invest, and promote greater import and export of goods between Vietnam and the United States.
What is your biggest wish for the Lunar New Year of the Dragon 2024, sir?
Every Tet holiday, I always look forward to returning to my hometown to celebrate the New Year with my relatives, family, and long-time colleagues. I also always miss and crave the Vietnamese dishes that are deeply ingrained in my childhood memories, dishes that are only available during Tet. I hope that the poor people in my hometown can have a warm and joyful Tet reunion. I will also bring gifts to poor families so that they can have a warmer spring.
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