Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha - Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - discussed with delegates before the discussion on the morning of July 17 - Photo: QUANG DINH
From merger to inter-regional "role sharing"
At the seminar "Driving force for industrial development in Ho Chi Minh City - From potential to action" directed by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Department of Industry and Trade coordinated with Tuoi Tre newspaper and related units to organize on the morning of July 17, attracting the participation of more than 120 delegates who are leaders of central ministries, experts, researchers, and leading enterprises.
Experts, managers, and businesses have come together to offer advice to answer the big question: what to do to make Ho Chi Minh City's industry truly become a pillar of sustainable growth in the context of expanding administrative boundaries?
Dr. Do Thien Anh Tuan - Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management - presented a paper on the driving force of industrial development in Ho Chi Minh City: From potential to action - Photo: QUANG DINH
According to Mr. Do Thien Anh Tuan - lecturer at the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City will still maintain its leading position in the country's industry. However, he emphasized that "to develop sustainably, we cannot continue to develop in breadth but must restructure and clearly assign roles between regions to optimize the value chain".
Specifically, the old Ho Chi Minh City should play the role of the "brain" of the industrial region - a place to concentrate on R&D, finance, quality control and production coordination. Binh Duong and Dong Nai are high-tech manufacturing poles, while Ba Ria - Vung Tau plays the role of an import-export and energy hub. Long An is oriented to become a food industry and agricultural processing center connecting the Mekong Delta.
Tay Ninh and Binh Phuoc play the role of satellite regions, providing raw materials, energy and border logistics.
Overview of the seminar on Industrial Development Dynamics of Ho Chi Minh City - From Potential to Action on the morning of July 17 - Photo: QUANG DINH
Sharing at the seminar, Dr. Huynh Thanh Dien - lecturer at Nguyen Tat Thanh University, called this model the "core axis of the industrial value chain" of Ho Chi Minh City, with the ability to lead from design, R&D to production, logistics and export. This is a complete ecosystem, which can spread to the entire East and Southwest regions.
However, to effectively coordinate this model, Mr. Dien proposed that there should be a "host" for regional linkage, an agency with sufficient authority to coordinate policies, spatial planning and inter-provincial infrastructure investment.
"Otherwise, the consequences are obvious, such as Cai Mep port waiting for exported goods but traffic jams, high logistics costs, weak connecting roads reducing the competitiveness of the whole region," said Mr. Dien.
Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu - Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade - delivered the opening speech at the seminar - Photo: QUANG DINH
At the seminar, Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City - frankly acknowledged that Ho Chi Minh City's industry contributes 30% of GRDP and plays a leading role but still faces many bottlenecks.
Logistics costs account for 16-20% of product cost, higher than the regional average. Clean industrial land is limited, land rental costs are high.
Many businesses’ production technology is still outdated and low in automation. The impact of international trade policies, such as the US imposing tariffs on exports from Vietnam, requires businesses to improve quality and innovate.
Faced with the need for development restructuring, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade has identified five key groups of solutions to orient industrial planning in the new development space.
First : Develop synchronous industrial - logistics - energy infrastructure. Priority should be given to building specialized industrial parks, technology parks, large-scale integrated logistics clusters, and using green energy.
Second : Technological innovation - digital transformation - automation, promoting high-tech industrial products, associated with smart cities, green transformation and comprehensive digitalization.
Third: Attract investment and develop supporting industries. Issue investment incentive mechanisms for new materials and strategic components, promote localized production.
Fourth : Developing high-tech human resources to connect businesses with training centers, forming a network of smart industrial and logistics skills.
Fifth : Green industry and circular economy . Encourage innovation in waste treatment technology, recycling, carbon emission reduction, towards the goal of net zero emissions.
Towards a regional industrial, innovation and logistics hub
According to experts, the expansion of Ho Chi Minh City is not only about expanding its boundaries, but also about opening a new vision to become a center of production, innovation, and logistics for the country and Southeast Asia by 2045.
To realize this, expert Do Thien Anh Tuan suggested that Ho Chi Minh City should build a "borderless commercial center" to create a platform for Vietnamese businesses to connect directly with the global market. At the same time, develop financial centers, R&D center chains, digital logistics and smart industry.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Hai - Chief Architect of Becamex IDC Corporation (a state-owned enterprise under the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee) - introduced the planning of the science and technology ecosystem. Accordingly, the planning of the northern area of Ho Chi Minh City (the old Binh Duong province) was carefully done by Binh Duong province, shifting to an in-depth development model, proactively finding solutions to overcome the "middle income trap".
Mr. Hai said that more than 25 years ago, Binh Duong cooperated with Singaporean partners to develop industry and attract investment. The northern area of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Binh Duong) was planned to develop a widespread public transport network, smart energy solutions, waste treatment to protect the environment, and form TODs (urban development associated with public transport)...
Mr. Hai emphasized that many years ago, Binh Duong had a vision and planning not only for Binh Duong but also for Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast region and the whole country.
With the approved planning, when merging Binh Duong, forming a new Ho Chi Minh City will create a solid foundation for development, turning ideas and planning into reality, overcoming the middle-income trap...
Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu said that the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City and Tuoi Tre newspaper launched the program "Proposing ideas for industrial development in Ho Chi Minh City", calling on businesses, researchers and people to contribute ideas and solutions to build a modern, green and sustainable industry.
"With a spirit of openness, responsibility and a desire for innovation, Ho Chi Minh City is ready to enter a new industrial growth cycle, not only as a domestic "locomotive" but also as a driving force for the entire region," Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu emphasized.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lam-gi-de-sieu-do-thi-tp-hcm-dinh-hinh-truc-cong-nghiep-moi-20250717102730012.htm
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