Southeast, a dynamic development region and leading economic power of the country 

At the National Conference on thoroughly learning and implementing Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW, took place on the morning of October 23, representatives of ministries, central branches and local authorities discussed and presented that aside from strengths, the Southeast development has also exposed numerous difficulties and challenges, and not entirely taken regional opportunities and advantages.

Removing infrastructure bottlenecks, and limitations on Regional connecting

In order to overcome limitations, continue to effectively promote the potentials and advantages of the region, rapidly and sustainably speed up the development of all sectors, contribute to the successful implementation of the goals and resolutions of the Politburo set out, the region has to accelerate the process of drafting and completion of the general plannings of the provinces and cities and the planning of the Southeast region in 2021-2030 period; For sectoral and national planning nationwide; It is necessary to prioritize the development of large-scale and in-depth high-tech industries to enhance participation in global production and supply chains as a key condition and trend to ensure rapid and sustainable development. Therefore, it is a must to promote regional development thinking coordinating with Ho Chi Minh City as an economic lead, a nucleus of regional development to determine an appropriate development plan and strategy for each province towards the thinking of regional development. An appropriate development orientation to remove infrastructure bottlenecks, overcome regional connectivity limitations, maximize potentials and benefits of the region, the whole region, and each locality will be built properly by means of such thinking, Minister of Industry and Trade Mr. Nguyen Hong Dien said.

Proper implementation of guidelines and policies of the Party and State’s on socializing resources and diversifying investment forms, utilizing uttermost internal resources, investing in the development of socio-economic infrastructure in line with external resources, in important and large-scale infrastructure works, especially connection constructions to improve connectivity within region, and between the Southeast and other economic regions, will be constantly bolstering, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien said.

The region will actively create clean land fund and effectively mobilize resources to concurrently invest in building infrastructure in industrial parks and processing zones as planned. It will promote the formation and substantive development of urban and high-tech industrial parks, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. At the same time, it will focus on building and developing connective clusters, forming an industrial ecosystem, focusing on attracting large-scale high-tech industrial projects, capable of deeply participating in the global production and supply chain, turning the Southeast region into a hi-tech industrial development center of the country, region and the world.

It will conduct research, propose and synchronously disseminate robust and feasible mechanisms and policies to promote the strong development of regional key industries with competitive advantages such as mining, processing, petroleum, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, electronics and telecommunications; chemicals and energy to enhance the initiative in production and gross national product.

The region should prioritize attracting investment in key industrial sectors, new and high technologies; speed up the development of industries and industrial products with “guiding” characteristics such as semiconductors, robotics industry, remote-control and automatic operation integrated equipment , software, digital products, new materials manufacturing and supporting industries, gradually building satellite network to supply components to large corporations and companies in Vietnam and the region.

In addition, it is necessary to create an incentive and binding mechanism to spread, share and support domestic enterprises and FDI enterprises in sustainable development. At the same time, accelerating digital transformation, acquiring and mastering modern technologies, and advanced management skills, contributing to improving the competitiveness of enterprises, promoting independence, self-reliance to enhance performance of not only the country’s industrial sector but also the economy of the whole country, are expected to be carried on.

Digital innovation and transformation to the highest degree have to be focused to  develop a digital economy and business, so that the region can truly occupy a pioneering role and lead the development of the national industry towards technology, advanced technique and digital platform. Furthermore, it is essential to promote the development of logistics services, form logistics centers connecting to newly-developed centers, promote product consumption. Concurrently, the country will take advantages of signed free trade treaties to attract investment, develop products, build brands, diversify markets, boost exports, and prompt deeper participation of the country to global production and supply chains, etc.,

Effectively performing the role of large urban areas, forming national growth poles

Regarding urban development in the Southeast region, Minister of Construction – Nguyen Thanh Nghi said that it is necessary to organize the tasks synchronously from planning orientation, developing urban economic space, and prioritizing investment in developing urban infrastructure and housing, make use of  the advantages of synchronous infrastructure development, apply smart solutions in parallel with studying and completing political institutions, specifically, for urban system planning, development direction, functional zoning and organization of urban economic zones. Developing regions in line with a centralized – multi-polar model to ensure consistency and balance in regional development and adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

To enhance the role of medium and large urban areas, economic corridors and key economic regions, to form a national growth pole with international competitiveness, create convenient connection with urban areas in the region and the world; ecologically sustainable development, adapting to climate change, saving resources and energy; develop urban centers along important intersections; develop satellite cities with good traffic connections to centers with synchronous technical and social infrastructure, reducing the load on large urban centers, central cities and growth poles.

According to the Ministry of Construction, it is necessary to limit the urban expansion massively, especially in areas affected by climate change. It should build and develop growth poles on major economic corridors, main ring roads and surrounding large upland cities to form a synchronous and modern system of urban infrastructure and regional infrastructure. Focusing on developing the road transport system, the regional suburban railway network, strengthening the connection between the central urban area and the growth poles, paying attention to ecological zones, natural landscapes, and especially natural water resources, green corridors.

Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi also emphasized the need to focus on building a regional coastal city system and develop it into an economic center of the region, which is the driven nucleus to promote economic development in the region and its vicinity. Investment should be focused on improving urban quality, and architecture in harmony with the natural landscape, prioritizing the formation of green space, using land economically and effectively, limiting rampant development of so-called urban model, closely control the urbanization process. Besides, the region should pay attention to providing proper orientation and solutions to manage urbanized areas.

The abovementioned content has been updated and realized during the development of Southeast Region Master Plan over the period of 2021-2030, including vision to 2050 and the State Plans, which are being prepared in the provinces and cities responsible for implementation.

Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi also mentioned the solutions with respect to policies on housing, social work, investment, development of urban infrastructure system, smart and modern urban development, urban management. By 2025, urban standards of urban infrastructure, especially health, education, training and cultural infrastructure in urban centers of 3^rd grader or higher have to be completely defined. Flood and traffic jams by 2030, have to be partially put under control. Furthermore, out-of-favor apartment, urban aesthetics, canal-side homes have to be beautified, renovated and transformed in connection with resettlement.

In the near future – 2023, we will organize the signing of a coordination agreement on human resource training between the Southern Economic Zone and Ho Chi Minh, survey and organize and coordinate in investment and tourism promotion amongst localities in the Southeast region, he added.

“The Party Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province will urgently and completely  implement this resolution and develop  roadmap and planning agenda arising therefrom,” said Comrade Pham Viet Thanh.

5 solutions to remove traffic infrastructure bottlenecks in the Southeast

At the conference, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang proposed 5 solutions to overcome traffic infrastructure bottlenecks in the Southeast region. Therefore, it is necessary to have innovative thinking and vision to promote the dynamism and creativity of local authorities in planning, management, investment and development of regional transport infrastructure.

Secondly, preside local governments in the region to invest in the construction of traffic infrastructure works, especially public transport, aviation, road and railway infrastructure, managed by the state / central-affiliated cities, in order to support and accelerate the initiative of local authorities in mobilizing investment capital.

Third, diversify resources for development of transport infrastructure, develop pioneering mechanisms and policies to mobilize private capital and other lawful capital sources for construction investment, in which priority is imposed to: key transport infrastructure projects popularizing and connecting regions. Allocate medium-term public investment capital in timely and appropriate manner with effective combination of central and local capital.

Fourth, swiftly complete the provincial planning, ensure consistency and synchronization with sectoral and regional planning of the whole country, effectively use land fund after investing in transport infrastructure projects.

Fifth, promote the application of information technology in the management and operation of transport activities, improve the quality of transport and logistics services, and adopt solutions to ensure traffic safety; technology to organize and manage urban traffic, create favorable conditions for solutions to solve urban congestion.

Minister Nguyen Van Thang said that according to the plan, the total demand for investment capital in transport infrastructure in the region is about VND 738,500 billion, invested in a modern and synchronous direction on regional transport infrastructure. About $342 trillion (the central budget has allocated about $60,800 billion) for the period of 2021-2025 and about $396,500 billion in the period 2026-2030.

In which, focusing on completing investment in North – South expressway, including highway connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the gateways, main traffic hubs, ring road in HCMC area consisting of completing Ring road 3, Ring Road 4, Ben Luc – Long Thanh, HCMC – Moc Bai, HCMC – Chon Thanh, Bien Hoa – Vung Tau, Dau Giay – Lien Khuong, Go Dau – Xa Mat, Chon Thanh – Duc Hoa, Chon Thanh – Gia Nghia; and continuing to invest in expanding the highways Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay, Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong – My Thuan as planned is in urgent need.

Source: Baomoi