VietNamNet Bridge - Some believe that HCM City needs a special economic zone (SEZ) in the southern part of the city which will be in accordance with the city’s sea development strategy. Meanwhile, others believe there is no need to set up an SEZ because the strong development in the area will find the best way to follow.

 


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Some believe that HCM City needs a special economic zone (SEZ) in the southern part of the city 

HCM City is considering setting up the zone in districts 7, Nha Be, Can Gio and a part of Binh Chanh. This would be an SEZ with the total area of 890 square kilometers and population of 685,000.

According to the HCM City Development Research Institute, the opinions about the necessity of an SEZ vary. There are four different viewpoints about it 1) it is necessary to set up an SEZ with these boundaries. 2) it would be better to set up an SEZ on the whole-city scale 3) no SEZ is needed 4) an SEZ is needed but on a smaller scale.

In general, the local authorities and experts believe the city needs an institutional breakthrough, while the establishment of an SEZ could be an instrument to do this.

The institute pointed out that the districts 7, Nha Be, Can Gio and a part of Binh Chanh are the most suitable areas for the city to implement sea development strategy, with the gateway to the international market and the unit which connects commercial hubs.

There are four different viewpoints about it 1) it is necessary to set up an SEZ with these boundaries. 2) it would be better to set up an SEZ on the whole-city scale 3) no SEZ is needed 4) an SEZ is needed but on a smaller scale.
The city’s authorities are now having the Soai Rap River dredged to make it capable to receive big ships with tonnage of up to 50,000 tons. It is now developing the Hiep Phuoc Port and the Hiep Phuoc port urban area. In the future, all the ports in the inner city will be relocated to the southern part of the city.

Other transport projects being implemented, including the Ben Luc – Nhon Trach – Long Thanh (road belt No 3), will help connect Mekong River Delta’s provinces and the localities in the east. In the future, road belt No 4 will be built, which will, together with the international railway, connect the Hiep Phuoc Port urban area and the eastern and Mekong River Delta provinces.

The southern part of the city is believed to be the ideal place for the SEZ also because 90.13 percent of the natural land area there is agriculture land, which means that the city would not have to pay too much for site clearance.

A report showed that 2.28 percent, 3.49 percent and 27.21 percent of households are listed as poor households (annual income of less than VND16 million) in the districts of Binh Chanh, Nha Be and Can Gio districts, respectively, higher than the city’s average rate of 1.45 percent.


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