Thai Nguyen is well known as a province with many IZs and many have been left idle. Ironically, some of the IZs have become places for drug addicts to gather.

Facing Highway No 3 in Thuan Thanh commune is the factory of Vinaxuki, 20 hectares, which has been left idle for years. To reach the entrance gate, reporters had to skirt a path flooded with weeds and garbage. There was a signboard which said littering was prohibited, but this did not prevent people from dumping.

Nguyen Thi Phuong, who lives next to the entrance way to the factory, pointed to the places where drug addicts usually gather in the evening.

Phuong said the life of local people has been upset since the factory's vacancy 10 years ago. There were many injection needles with blood stains lying on the ground.

When developing the IZ project, the investor promised to use many local workers. However, locals cannot get jobs at the local factory, while their cultivation land has been taken by the state. As a result, their lives have become miserable.

When developing the IZ project, the investor promised to use many local workers. However, locals cannot get jobs at the local factory, while their cultivation land has been taken by the state. As a result, their lives have become miserable.

Nam Pho Yen IZ, 200 hectares, was registered in 2007 by a joint venture between a Taiwanese company and Vietnamese Vinaxuki Thai Nguyen.

Chair of Thuan Thanh commune Nguyen Trong Dam confirmed that local people are facing difficulties as they no longer have means of production.

Trung Thanh IZ is in the same situation. Unfinished buildings were seen from the entrance door to the IZ and a large area was used for people to graze oxen.

According to a security guard at Trung Thanh IZ, the foreign investor of the IZ left for their home country and authorized a Vietnamese man to represent him. However, reporters failed to contact the representative at the phone number given in the signboard.

In Ha Tinh province, Dai Kim IZ, 33 hectares, established in 2007, has a modest occupancy rate of 30 percent.

MONRE (the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment), after discovering the problems in IZ, has proposed that the Prime Minister narrow the land area reserved for IZs in 15 cities/provinces by 18,228 hectares, including 4,327 hectares in Thanh Hoa, 2,020 hectares in Quang Binh, 4,175 hectares in Nghe An, 566 hectares in Khanh Hoa and 1,242 hectares in Binh Dinh.

At the same time, the ministry has proposed to increase the land area for IZs in nine localities, to help localities attract foreign investors who are leaving China.

Translated by Le Ha

Reality and vision for industrial zones

The media have recently featured industrial properties, especially industrial land, as a potential area to attract investment.

Over 1,700 foreign experts okayed to work in industrial zones

Despite the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the central province of Quang Ngai has received more than 1,700 foreign experts who will continue their work in local industrial zones and clusters.