North Central provinces determined to achieve double-digit growth

To realise this strategic goal, the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh are taking a wide range of measures to achieve double-digit growth in 2026, laying the foundation and creating momentum for further development.

Ha Tinh makes impressive strides

Nguyen Trong Hieu, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh Province, on August 6 signed decisions approving investment policies for four wind power projects, including Ky Anh 1, Ky Anh 2, Ky Anh 3, and Ky Anh 4, with total investment of 7.81 trillion VND (298.38 million USD). The four projects will have a combined capacity of 225MW, with 45 turbines expected to generate around 591.456 million kWh for the national grid annually.

They are among 41 domestic investment projects approved by Ha Tinh since the beginning of the year, with total registered capital of 164.02 trillion VND (6.27 billion USD). The province has also approved four foreign-invested projects with combined registered capital of more than 408 million USD.

According to Nguyen Duc Thang, Deputy Director of the Ha Tinh Department of Finance, many of the 45 newly approved projects are large-scale ventures expected to generate fresh momentum for economic growth, including the Vung Ang III LNG thermal power plant, with investment of 51.43 trillion VND (1.96 billion USD); the VinFast Ha Tinh electric motorbike manufacturing plant, 13.25 trillion VND (506.18 million USD); the VinMetal Ha Tinh steel plant, 79.99 trillion VND (3.06 billion USD); and a stainless steel plant, 9.8 trillion VND (374.35 million USD).

Provincial authorities have also established task forces to review and resolve long-standing problems and obstacles facing projects in order to help unlock resources for development. Major projects have consequently been accelerated, including the Vung Ang II thermal power plant, whose two units began commercial operations as scheduled, as well as infrastructure projects at the Bac Thach Ha Industrial Park (phase 1) and the expansion of Gia Lach Industrial Park, Vinhomes Vung Ang Industrial Park, and Phu Vinh Industrial Park.

Industry remained the main driver of Ha Tinh’s growth in the first half of the year, with industrial production rising 32.83% year on year. Key products also recorded strong growth: steel output reached 2.091 million tonnes, up 13%; electricity generation exceeded 9.5 billion kWh, up 50%; yarn output reached nearly 5,954 tonnes, up 22%; battery packs exceeded 42,000 units, triple the figure recorded in the same period last year; and battery cell output was estimated at more than 11 million units, up 23%. The province’s GRDP grew 12.79% in the first six months, the highest rate nationwide.

Nguyen Trong Hieu said the province had proactively developed a growth scenario from the beginning of 2026 covering three economic sectors and 21 first-level industries, with quarterly targets. The province also set targets for total production value for 69 communes and wards, clearly assigned responsibilities to departments and localities, and established task forces to monitor and support key programmes and projects.

Efforts have focused on removing bottlenecks related to planning, site clearance, land pricing, construction materials, and public investment disbursement.

Accelerating public investment disbursement

In early August, residents in Xuan Lam Commune, Nghe An Province, were dismantling houses and other structures to hand over land for the Vinh-Thanh Thuy Expressway project. Le Van Sau was among the first residents to voluntarily dismantle his solid stilt house to make way for the project.

Although reluctant to leave a home where his family had lived for many years, Sau said the family recognised the project’s importance in creating opportunities for local socio-economic development and was therefore willing to comply with the policy and hand over the site on schedule.

The Vinh-Thanh Thuy Expressway is a key project in Nghe An, with a total investment of more than 23.94 trillion VND (914.54 million USD) and an implementation period of 2025-2029. The province is accelerating site clearance, aiming to hand over residential and garden land by August 30 and commence construction on all six construction packages by September 30, 2026.

Once completed, the expressway will shorten travel time from the Thanh Thuy border gate to cities and seaports in Nghe An, strengthening connectivity between the North Central region, Laos, and Thailand. Tourist destinations such as Cua Lo Beach and Pu Mat National Park are also expected to become more accessible.

This year, Thanh Hoa Province has been allocated more than 18.843 trillion VND (719.83 million USD) in public investment capital. As of July 24, disbursement had reached 6.298 trillion VND (240.59 million USD), or 33.42% of the annual plan.

At an early-August meeting, to address shortages of conventional construction materials, To Anh Dung, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, instructed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to complete the necessary procedures and put soil and sand mines into operation. The province aims to supply 4.2 million cubic metres of conventional construction materials in August and an additional 9 million cubic metres in the remaining months of the year.

Four task forces led by provincial vice chairpersons are directly overseeing project implementation and public investment disbursement in their respective areas. Sectors and localities are working to ensure that cumulative public investment disbursement reaches at least 9.422 trillion VND (359.93 million USD), or 50% of the annual plan, by the end of August.

The province aims to fully disburse its public investment allocation by December 15, 2026, using public investment as “seed capital” to attract resources from other economic sectors. At the same time, Thanh Hoa is working to resolve outstanding issues affecting more than 130 delayed projects and bring them into operation as soon as possible.

Mai Xuan Liem, Standing Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, said the province aims to achieve GRDP growth of 14.44% in the second half of the year by translating its targets and tasks into concrete programmes and plans, following the principle of “clear tasks, clear people, clear responsibilities, clear deadlines, clear results, and clear inspection mechanisms.”

Each task is assigned to a single lead agency responsible for its overall progress, quality, and results. Thanh Hoa targets minimum growth of 10.79% in the third quarter and 17.48% in the fourth quarter.

“Thanh Hoa will continue to renew traditional growth drivers, strongly promote new ones, and improve the quality of growth,” Liem said.

The province will also focus on large-scale, high-tech agriculture, logistics, the green economy, and the circular economy, while using public investment to lead and leveraging private investment, foreign direct investment, and other legitimate sources of capital to drive growth, he added.