Currently, the Management Board of Van Phong Economic Zone is urgently completing the zoning planning of functional areas, to have a basis for implementing investment promotion according to the list of priority industries and occupations, especially for strategic investors.
According to Associate Professor, Dr Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, the Van Phong Economic Zone is a development coordinated with world-class advantages. Adjusting planning, conducting zoning planning and removing bottlenecks in mechanisms and policies, are solutions being implemented by Khanh Hoa Province to help this economic zone achieve its expected goals.
New stature
Van Phong Economic Zone was established under Decision No. 92/2006/QD-TTg, dated April 25, 2006, by the Prime Minister, with a total area of 150,000 hectares, of which 70,000 hectares is land and 80,000 hectares includes the sea surface.
The economic zone is in Van Ninh District and Ninh Hoa Town of Khanh Hoa Province.
In particular, the marine economy is the foundation, with international container transhipment ports and logistics, urban services, tourism, and industry, playing an important role, combined with the development of other economic sectors. It is a high-end integrated tourism and entertainment service centre, with unique modern tourism and service products of high quality. It also has an important position in national security and defence.
According to a report of the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa Province, the Van Phong Economic Zone has attracted 150 investment projects, including 122 domestic and 28 foreign-invested projects, with a total registered capital of about 4.1 billion USD. Implemented capital is 2.68 billion USD, reaching 65% of registered capital, creating jobs for 11,802 workers.
On June 16, 2022, the National Assembly voted on a resolution on special mechanisms and policies for south-central Khanh Hoa Province, as part of its third session in Hanoi.
Under the resolution, Khanh Hoa is allowed to pilot the implementation of some mechanisms and policies on financial and state budget management; state management in planning, land, and environment; the separation of resettlement and site clearance projects from public investment ones; and the development of Van Phong Economic Zone and the maritime economy in Khanh Hoa.
Earlier on April 3, the Government issued an action plan to implement the Politburo's Resolution No. 09-NQ/TW, dated January 28, 2022, on developing coastal central Khanh Hoa Province by 2030, with a vision to 2045.
Among the targets for 2025, resolution No. 09-NQ/TW aims at local per capita gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of 104 million VND (over 4,500 USD), an urbanisation rate of 65 per cent, non-agricultural workers accounting for 77.97 per cent of the local workforce, and a rate of trained workers at 85 per cent.
The respective targets for 2030 are 189 million VND, 70 per cent, 81.91 per cent, and 90 per cent.
Creating conditions to welcome large investors
Chairman of the People's Committee of Van Ninh District, Dam Ngoc Quang, said that thanks to the Resolutions of the Politburo and the National Assembly, Van Ninh District in particular and Van Phong Economic Zone in general, have a solid legal corridor, favourable infrastructure development, synchronous implementation of essential projects, especially the high-speed traffic routes connecting Van Phong-Central Highlands, Van Phong-Nha Trang and Van Phong-Chi Thanh, as well as main roads and seaport infrastructure, to promote economic development, improving people's income and lives.
Adjusting the general planning for the construction of the Van Phong Economic Zone in south-central Khanh Hoa Province to 2040, with the vision to 2050, has been approved by the Prime Minister.
With an area of 150,000 ha, the Economic Zone is expected to become a dynamic, competitive, smart and sustainable economic hub, that facilitates socio-economic growth and helps ensure national defence and security.
Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan, said during the project implementation, the province paid special attention to sustainable development and environmental protection, in the Van Phong Economic Zone.
Currently, the Management Board of Van Phong Economic Zone focuses on planning functional subdivisions, building a list of proposal documents for strategic investors, preparing plans to build resettlement areas to serve the implementation of projects, and preparing steps for career change and vocational training for people affected by the project.
The Management Board of Van Phong Economic Zone proactively coordinates with departments and branches to research and innovate ways of thinking and working, improving the quality of promotion work, attracting new investment projects, paying attention to support and creating favourable conditions for organisations and businesses to invest.
However, currently, the majority of zoning plans in the economic zone have not been approved, construction and approval of zoning plans take a long time and do not meet the requirements of attracting investment into the economic zone, especially strategic investors, according to Resolution 55/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly.
To promote the implementation of key projects in the Economic Zone, the Provincial People's Committee has established a working group, headed by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.
These working groups report the progress of implementing these projects every two weeks to the Provincial Party Standing Committee, to promptly monitor, support, and direct the resolution of arising problems.
The province has organised investment promotion delegations from Khanh Hoa Province to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, India, and the US, to introduce and promote the investment environment of Khanh Hoa Province, including the Van Phong Economic Zone.
According to comrade Nguyen Tan Tuan, the mechanism and policy in Resolution No. 55 are very new and specific, so during the implementation process, many authorities encountered difficulties. It has been nearly two years since Resolution No. 55 took effect, and policies on selecting strategic investors have not yet been implemented.
Therefore, to attract strategic investors and large-scale projects according to the investment attraction priority list, the Management Board of Van Phong Economic Zone is urgently completing the zoning planning of functional areas of the Economic Zone. This is to have a basis for implementing investment promotion according to the list of priority industries and occupations, especially strategic investors. All while effectively organising domestic and foreign investment promotion activities to find potential investors, consistent with the development goals of the Economic Zone.
