Hai Phong is an important pole in the Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh economic triangle and one of the major industrial centers of the country. During the development process, the city sees green growth as an vital trend and dedicates resources to maintain and create sustainable growth momentum in the present and the future. Vietnam Business Forum reporters have an interview with Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee, to learn more about this content.
Could you tell us some of the city's outstanding socioeconomic achievements in the past five years and in the first quarter of 2024?
In the past five years, thanks to the active approach to its task in implementation and its close coordination with central agencies, Hai Phong City approved important decisions to pave the way for socioeconomic development such as Resolution 35/2021/QH15 on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies on Hai Phong City development; Decision 323/QD-TTg on ratification of adjustments to Hai Phong Master Plan to 2040, with a vision to 2050; Decision 1516/QD-TTg on ratification of Hai Phong Master Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period, with an eye to 2050.
Mr. Le Tien Chau, Secretary of Hai Phong City Party Committee, and Mr. Le Trung Kien, Director of Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority, present the investment license and flowers to South Korea’s SK Group
Carrying out socioeconomic development tasks and targets amid many difficulties and challenges, with the effort of all levels and sectors, Hai Phong City still achieved high economic growth. Its GRDP growth in the 2019-2023 period was 12.62% a year, more than doubling the national average. Its economic scale ranked 5th in the country. Its investment value usually ranked among the biggest destinations in the country. In the first quarter of 2024, its GRDP growth was 1.65 times higher than the national average (up 5.66% year on year). The city’s state budget revenue was nearly VND33 trillion and its licensed FDI value was US$253.35 million.
Hai Phong effectively promoted three main economic pillars: High-tech industry, seaport - logistics, and tourism - trade. Regarding high-tech industry, the city attracted electric and electronic projects with products deeply involved in global value chains.
On seaport - logistics development, the city accelerated the construction progress of Wharves No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and called for investment fund for the remaining wharves of Lach Huyen International Port. The city carried out the investment project of building Passenger Terminal No. 2, the aircraft apron expansion project - second investment phase and the cargo terminal investment project at Cat Bi International Airport.
On tourism and trade development, Hai Phong City attracted six more tourism infrastructure investment projects with a total investment value of over VND16 trillion. The city also had four more supermarkets, bringing the total number of supermarkets to 28.
Urban beautification and spacing continued to be expanded. Synchronous modern transport infrastructure continued to have breakthrough development to reassert its role as an important traffic hub and main gateway to the sea for northern provinces.
In addition, cultural, educational, scientific - technological, and medical fields continued to be invested. Social security was guaranteed.
The achieved results are the foundation and basic motivation for Hai Phong to complete its goals stated in Resolution 45-NQ/TW of “becoming a leading city in the country in industrialization and modernization; having modern, smart and sustainable industry; having synchronous modern transportation infrastructure.”
As one of the first localities in the country to build and issue an action plan for implementation of the National Green Growth Strategy since 2014, what has Hai Phong done to implement the green strategy during the past 10 years?
Hai Phong City always defines green growth as a key, long-term, inclusive process of shaping, leading and directing socioeconomic development tasks. Accordingly, the Party Committee, the People's Council and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City direct all levels, branches and localities to launch regular communications to raise the awareness of all public employees, workers and people, aligning with environment protection with green, sustainable economic development.
The Hai Phong City People's Committee launched plans and projects to implement this approach such as Decision 565/QD-UBND dated March 5, 2020 on ratification of the project of building and updating the city’s action plans in response to climate change in the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050; Plan 234/KH-UBND dated September 29, 2020 on implementation of the National Plan for adaptation to climate change in the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050; Plan 222/KH-UBND dated September 15, 2022 on implementation of the National Strategy on Climate Change for the period up to 2050 and the project on tasks and solutions to realize Vietnam’s commitments at COP26 Conference.
The city also aimed to adopt new business models like developing digital economy, circular economy and green growth. At the same time, the locality has regularly exchanged, discussed and requested investors, especially FDI companies, to adopt green transformation and technological innovation.
In April 2023, the Hai Phong City People's Committee decided to establish the Steering Committee on Green Growth. This committee is responsible for researching, directing and coordinating solutions to promote green growth; build and implement the Action Plan on Green Growth in Hai Phong City for the 2021 - 2030 period and the following periods.
Green development is not a choice but a trend that the city needs to follow and take drastic action to achieve.
The Hai Phong Master Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, figures out three development pillars: Seaport - logistics services; green, smart, modern industry; and international marine tourism center. Would you be kind enough to give more details about this approach?
Hai Phong is the second city after Da Nang to be selected and supported by the Ministry of Planning and Investment to build the Action Plan on Green Growth for the 2021 - 2030 period. After the plan was approved, this served as an important foundation for the Party Committee, the People's Council and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City to continue its methodical direction and implementation.
In addition, according to the Hai Phong Master Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the city’s three development pillars are seaport - logistics services; green, smart, modern industry; and international marine tourism center. The city has concretized this orientation with many specific tasks and solutions.
Accordingly, the locality advocates green seaport transformation with sustainable and environmentally friendly activities. Green ports apply green technology and low-carbon fuels to energy-intensive equipment. The path of goods transported into and out of the city is encouraged to reduce the transportation process.
Hai Phong also gives priority to developing green industries, ecological industrial parks and industrial real estate that meet environmentally friendly sustainable standards and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The city always encourages investors to focus on developing projects with advanced technology, modern governance, high added value, ripple effects and participation in global production and supply chains.
Furthermore, the city applies policies to encourage investors to increase the use of renewable energy sources, wind energy, rooftop solar power and environmentally friendly production technologies.
To realize green growth goals in association with improving the Provincial Green Growth Index (PGI), what key solutions will the city focus on?
In 2022, for the first time the PGI Index was introduced together with the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI). In 2023, the city's PGI Index climbed nine places from a year earlier to rank 7th out of 63 provinces and cities and stand among the Top 10 best performers. This result not only reflected the municipal government's pioneering construction of the Green Growth Strategy and the vision of building a "Green Port" but also expressed with very specific actions.
To realize Vietnam's commitments at COP26 and national strategies towards the net zero emissions target by 2050 and carry out the tasks stated in the Action Plan on Green Growth for the 2021 - 2030 period, the city will focus on executing tasks and solutions as follows:
Actively coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) to develop the Action Plan for Green Growth in Hai Phong City for the 2021 - 2030 period.
Strengthening and reforming communications and information on knowledge of climate change; encouraging and engaging organizations, individuals, and businesses to make financial investments in response to climate change, environmental protection and green growth.
Integrating climate change factors in all socioeconomic activities; harmoniously linking economic growth with social progress and justice, and improving people's lives towards ensuring the city's sustainable development and green growth goals.
Encouraging investors to focus on developing ecological industrial parks and sustainable and highly efficient industrial parks; appreciating international cooperation and integration in response to climate change, resource management, and environmental protection; strengthening the role of authorities in response to climate change, assigning specific responsibilities of municipal departments, branches and localities to carry out the Action Plan on Green Growth in Hai Phong City in the 2021 - 2030 period.
Thank you so much!
Ha Thanh - Ngoc Tung (Vietnam Business Forum)
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi