(VOVWORLD) - In recent years, Hai Phong’s growth has made it one of the top localities in Vietnam. Last year, despite COVID-19, it maintained double-digit growth, the highest in Vietnam. This year Hai Phong’s goals are to make a strong breakthrough, become a modern, smart, sustainable industrial city, and drive national growth.
 In recent years, Hai Phong city has continuously been among top localities with high growth rate. (Photo: VOV) |
2021 was another successful year for Hai Phong, despite the pandemic. Its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) grew 12.4%.
It led Vietnam in revenues, fetching 4.2 million USD, and attracted more than 5 billion USD in FDI, 3 or 4 times as much as the previous year, to top the list of FDI attractors.
By quickly applying stronger epidemic protocols than those recommended by the Health Ministry, Hai Phong got many key projects inaugurated and completed on schedule, including a project to upgrade National Highway 10, the Rao Bridge project, and the Quang Thanh and Dinh Bridge project connecting Hai Phong and Hai Duong province.
 The Rao Bridge project 1 is one of key construction works of Hai Phong in 2021. (Photo: VOV) |
Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, attributed Hai Phong’s stellar growth last year to good pandemic prevention and control.
“During the most difficult period, Hai Phong still maintained its investment environment and workers kept working,” said Quang, adding, “In addition to high-tech industry, seaports and logistics, and tourism and commerce, the 3 pillars defined by the municipal Party Congress, we’ll continue to develop infrastructure and urban areas to attract experts and other workers to come and live here.”
Hai Phong has become an attractive destination for many large corporations in Vietnam and around the world.
Last year Hai Phong attracted 29 new FDI projects with a total registered capital of 327 million USD. 52 FDI projects increased their investment capital. LG Display Vietnam Hai Phong increased 2.15 billion USD.
A number of large projects have been granted investment certificates to commence construction this year.
They include the construction of berths 5 and 6 at the Lach Huyen deep-water port, and a Lach Huyen non-tariff area logistics and industrial project worth 486 million USD.
This year, Hai Phong hopes to increase its GRDP 13% or more and attract 2.5 to 3 billion USD of FDI to local industrial parks and economic zones.
Le Trung Kien, head of the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority, said specific missions have been outlined to reach the target of 3 billion USD.
“To attract 3 billion USD of FDI, Hai Phong will tout its achievements last year and the venturesome spirit of the city. We need to apply more IT and digitization. Granting an investment certificate, for example, should not require a whole new set of documents, since most of the needed information is already in the computer. Investment attraction should be traded off with less land, less labor, but high technology, high profits, no pollution, no transfer pricing or tax evasion,” said Kien.
The National Assembly has approved Resolution 35 to pilot special mechanisms and policies for the development of certain cities and provinces, including Hai Phong.
This is an effort to realize the Politburo’s resolution on the development of Hai Phong until 2030, with a vision to 2045.
At a recent meeting with Hai Phong authorities, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh listed key tasks for the city.
“Hai Phong should promote self-reliance for rapid and sustainable development based on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, in which green industry, advanced services, eco-tourism, and high-tech agriculture must be developed. Comprehensive development should harmonize economy, security, national defense, culture and society,” said Mr. Chinh.