Summary of Doctoral thesis of History: The process of economic structural transformation in Bac Giang province from 1997 to 2015

Clarify the process of economic structural transformationin Bac Giang through various steps from 1997 to 2015; clarify the achievements, limitations and impacts of the process on the local socio-economic, and security and defense situation; initially draw some historical experience from the process of implementing the Clarify the process of economic structural transformationin Bac Giang through various steps from 1997 to 2015.

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

NGUYEN THI VAN

THE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION IN BAC GIANG PROVINCE FROM 1997 TO 2015

Major: Vietnamese history Code: 9 22 90 13

SUMMARY OFDOCTORAL THESIS OF

HISTORY

HA NOI - 2018

Thesis research was done at: Faculty of history - Graduate Academy of Social Sciences – Vietnam Academy of social

sciences

Supervisor: Assoc.Prof.PhD Vu Quang Hien

Reviewer 1: Assoc.Prof.PhD Hoang Hong

Reviewer 2: Assoc.Prof.PhD Tran Đuc Cuong

Reviewer 3: Assoc.Prof.PhD Nguyen Manh Ha

The dissertation is defended before the Reviewing Board, university-level, at Graduate Academy

INTRODUCTION

1 The rationale of the dissertation

Bac Giang is a northern mountainous midland province that was reestablished in 1997 (separated from Ha Bac province) Implementing the renovation policy, Bac Giang has mobilized all resources, striving to accelerate the growth rate and economic structural transformationin the direction of industrialization, amodernization, sustainable development However, due to many difficulties including a lowstarting point with purely agricultural economy, the industrial and service development in the province isvery slow, and not corresponding with the potential and strength of the province

The survey and field study in Bac Giang showthat the implementation of economic structural transformationin some areas is still inadequate, which has not yet generated a rapid pace of economic restructuring and economic efficiency This means that the requirements for economic structural change are very necessary, which must be in line with the economic development requirements and aspirations of the people in the province

The process ofeconomic structural transformationin Bac Giang province has brought about the problems that need to be analyzed, answered and clarified on the scientific basis for addressing the issues

of perception and practical activity for business development of the

province today In that sense, I chose the topic"The process ofeconomic

structural transformation in Bac Giang province from 1997 to 2015" to

sum up this problem from the historical perspective in Bac Giang, identify the success, together with its characteristics, impacts, constraints, and causes, so that the study can provide historical data for

planning solutions to promote local economic structural change in the future

2 Objectives and missions of the dissertation

2.1 Objectives:

- Clarify the process of economic structural transformationin Bac Giang through various steps from 1997 to 2015;

- Clarify the achievements, limitations and impacts of the process

on the local socio-economic, and security and defense situation;

- Initially draw some historical experience from the process of implementing the economic structural change of the locality

- Assess the achievements and limitations of the provincial economic structural transformationprocess; identify the characteristics and impacts of that process on local socio-economic development

3 Subjects and scope of the dissertation

3.1 Research objects: The transformation of economic structure

of Bac Giang province in terms of economic structure, economic zones and economic sectors

3.2 Research scope

- Regarding time: from 1997 to 2015

- Regarding space: Bac Giang province, including Bac Giang

city, and 9 districts in the province However, the dissertation also

compares the province with the whole country, provinces in the midland and mountainous areas of the North, and some neighboring provinces to see the structural transformation of Bac Giang in the general picture of the regional and the whole country

- Regarding contents: the research focuses on restructuring of

economic sectors, economic zones and the related issues such as investment structure, labor structure, etc in close relationship with each other

4 Methodology

4.1 Methodological basis: The dissertation is based on historical

methodology; the methodology of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thoughts, views and policies of the Party and the State of Vietnam

4.2 Research methodology: The dissertation uses the historical

method combined with the logical method In addition, the dissertation

also uses the methods of analysis, comparison, statistics, field investigation, etc

5 Contributions to the science of the dissertation

- Factors influencing economic structural transformation in Bac Giang province: natural, economic and social conditions; the situation

of economic structural transformationbefore 1997, the views, and guidelines of the VietnamCommunist Party, the State, and the Party Committee of Bac Giang province

- Process of implementing the economic structural transformationfrom 1997 to 2015, with specific results of each period

- The achievements, limitations and impacts of the economic structural transformationprocess in Bac Giang province

- Providethe readers and researchers with the source of objective and abudent documentations in the field of the process of economic structural transformation in Bac Giang province from 1997 to 2015

6 Theoretical and practical meanings of the dissertation

6.1 Theoretical meaning

- To clarify the theoretical issues on Bac Giang's structural transformation process from 1997 to 2015, i.e., its characteristics and the meaning of the process Then, propose solutions to promote the provincial economic restructuring in the coming years

6.2 Practical significance

- The research results can be used as reference materials for provincial departments to write local history; they can be used as teaching materials, too

7 Structure of the dissertation

In addition to the Introduction, Conclusion, References and Annexes, the dissertation is divided into four chapters:

Chapter 1: Overview of literature related to the dissertation

Chapter 1 OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE RELATED TO THE

DISSERTATION CONTENTS 1.1 Overview of research related to thedissertation contents

1.1.1 Research oneconomic structural transformation in Vietnam

In the whole country as well as in other regions, there are many works of scientists studying economic structural transformation in Vietnam from many different angles Focusing on the main research missions of the dissertation, the author has studied the economic structural transformation works in Vietnam in the renovation years, which not only relates to the dissertation contents but also provides the author with thinking of research methodology

1.1.2 Research on economic structural transformation in Bac Giang Province

During the research, the author also paid attention to and focused

on the published books and works on Bac Giang related to thedissertation The research has provided important historical documents that help the author to reproduce the province's structural transformation process

1.2 Overall assessment of the research works related to the dissertation and further studied issues

1.2.1 Dissertation issues inherited from previous studies

In every aspect of the study, these works provided valuable data

to researchers, which are valuable for the implementation of this dissertation These are valuable research results that can be inherited and developed However, the research results mainly focus on studying

the structural transformation of Vietnam in general and in some key economic zones with favorable conditions, having a high starting point when carrying out real implementation In certain provinces, or in certain economic-territorial regions in disadvantaged areas where infrastructure and educational levelare low, there are not many works mentioned

By studying and researching the above works, the author gets some material and knowledge necessary to form a common understanding, helping the author to deeply study the dissertation It is also a source of information to compare and learn the methodology to approach the problems while presenting the dissertation Research oneconomic structural changes in Bac Giang province have good reference value, providing valuable materials and important suggestions that help the author in the research process

In general, the research shows that many works are valuable materials and have prompted many issues that are charismatic; the published works are from an economic and historical perspective The use of various levels has provided the necessary basis for theoretical and practical methods to deepen the dissertation research However, up

to now, the author has not found any works belonging to the Vietnamese literature coincide with the name of the dissertation There are no historical works that have been studied in a complete, systematic and thorough manner, in terms of economic structural transformation in Bac Giang province from the re-establishment of the province in 1997

to 2015 Therefore, the author selects this issue in order to ensure both novelty and scientificity In the process of research, the author will inherit the previous research results to approach and complete the

project "The process of economic structural transformation in Bac

Giang province from 1997 to 2015"

1.2.2 Dissertation issues that should be studied in depth

Inheritance of the achievements of the previous researchers, and

in comparisonwith the objectives and research missions of the dissertation, the previous works leave the gap that the dissertation must continue to solve

First, systematize the historical process of factors affecting

economic structural changein Bac Giang province from the establishment of the province to 2015: on the geographical position and natural conditions of the province; on the economic situation and structural economic development of the province at the time of re-establishment of the province; on the policy and guidelines of the Party

re-in the socio-economic development re-in general, re-in the northern midland and mountainous economic areas, and some specific policies in Bac Giang; on the leadership of the provincial Party Committee for economic structural transformation, etc

Second, clarify the process of economic structural change in Bac

Giang province from the re-establishment of the province from 1997 to

2015, including economic structure, economic zones, and economic sectors; the characteristics and mainstream circuit of the process; the appropriateness of the transition and future development orientation

Third, evaluate the results of the economic structural

transformation process in Bac Giang province (1997 - 2015); The impact of that process on the socio-economic development of the province

Chapter 2 ECONOMIC STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATIONIN BAC GIANG PROVINCE FROM 1997 TO 2005

2.1 Historical background and factors affecting the economic restructuring in Bac Giang province

2.1.1 Brief overview of the history when re-establishing Bac Giang province

After re-establishment, Bac Giang has 10 district-level administrative units, including Bac Giang town and 09 districts When re-established, Bac Giang was still a poor province with a low starting point and a backward economic structure

2.1.2 Factors affecting the economic structural transformation

in Bac Giang province

The process of economic structural transformationof the whole country in general as well as in Bac Giang province in particular are always affected by the factors of natural conditions; infrastructure and social conditions; the economic development of the Party in the period

of renovation, and policies of Bac Giang’s Party Division; Situation of

economic structure of Bac Giang province before 1997

2.2 Economic restructuring

2.2.1 Economic sectors

2.2.1.1 Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries marked the most significant development in the provincial economic development plan Bac Giang's agriculture, forestry and fishery sector made a positive but slow move

2.2.1.2 Industry - construction

The scale of industry - construction was still small, accounting for the low proportion of GRDP in the whole province with small industrial

production, low competitiveness of products, and no spearhead products

2.2.1.3 Service

The important task in developing this service was to promote export, focusing on the development of agro-forestry products and garments Other services had increasing investment, innovation in means of service methods that met the increasing needs of the people

2.2.2 Economic sectors

2.2.2.1 Government sector

Implementing the guideline to play the leading role of the state economic sector, the rearrangement of state owned enterprises (SOEs) was considered as the most important task in the policy of restructuring the economy of Bac Giang in this period

2.2.2.2 Collective sector

Most of the cooperatives, especially the cooperativesin the province, had a stable development stage However, the operation of many cooperatives was difficult because the capital contribution of cooperative members did not meet the needs of production and business

2.2.2.3 Private sector

The private sector made good progress, becoming one of the main economic forces, making an important contribution to the socio-economic development and structural transformation of the province

2.2.2.4 Foreign-invested sector

Although the contribution to the province's budget was small, the foreign-invested sector became an important part of the economy, positively impacting economic structural transformation towards industrialization

2.2.3.2 Areas of agricultural production

Areas of agricultural production were those with the potential of expanding fruit tree area, early winter rice area and high value winter crop such as: peanut, soybean, hybrid corn, fruits and vegetables, etc Objectives of the development of agricultural production areas were:

"Planning the production area of clean agricultural products to have more products for domestic consumption and for exports."

Summary of chapter 2

The process of economic structural transformationin Bac Giang province is affected by both objective and subjective factors, which contain advantages and disadvantages, opportunities and challenges In the period of 1997 - 2005, Bac Giang province economic restructuring changed in 3 aspects: economic structure, economic zones, and economic sectors The initial results of the structural transformation process were an important basis for the new development of the province in the next stage

Transformation of the economic structure: Agriculture gradually

shifted from traditional agriculture to commodity agriculture

Industry-construction step by step promoted to increase the proportion in the economic structure of the province Service sector gained important results in rearranging the state-owned trading system, wholesale and retail market, contributing to stabilizing the market in the province, boosting the export

Transformation of the economic zones: the concentrated

commodity agriculture sub-zones were established to exploit the labor and land strengths of each area in the direction of raising productivity and product quality The industrial and service economic zones located

on National Highway 1A initially invested in large industrial zones and clusters, initially opening up great prospects for attracting investment capital into the province

Transformation of economic sectors: There was a positive change

in the implementation of restructuring and reform of SOEs However, the state economy did not bring into full play the leading role in the local economy For small locally state-owned economy, operating efficiency was not high Private sector was encouraged to expand, focused on developing rural trades, created jobs and improved the lives

of the people The foreign-invested economy was still small but there were signs of development with the increasing number of projects attracting foreign direct investment into the province