Amendments and additions to Resolution 98/2023/QH15: New institutions for Ho Chi Minh City to better demonstrate its pioneering responsibility.

It is expected that on December 11, the National Assembly will vote to approve the draft Resolution amending and supplementing a number of articles of Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City (referred to as Resolution 98), before the closing session.

National Assembly representative and lawyer Truong Trong Nghia, who has served three terms as a National Assembly representative for the Ho Chi Minh City delegation, spoke with a reporter from SGGP newspaper about the expectations and challenges surrounding the new institutional framework currently under consideration.

* Reporter: Sir, what significance and message does the National Assembly's consideration of amending and supplementing Resolution 98 in this session convey for the development of Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the whole country in general?

* National Assembly Representative TRUONG TRONG NGHIA: After studying the documents submitted to the National Assembly, I find that the contents of the draft Resolution amending and supplementing some articles of Resolution 98 represent a breakthrough in institutional reform aimed at creating strong resources for development.

Ho Chi Minh City has been entrusted by the Party and the State with the task and role of being the economic locomotive of the entire country. For this locomotive to have sustainable pulling power, it must have sufficient resources. These resources can be generated by increasing spending from the state budget or through institutional reforms.

The Resolution amending and supplementing a number of articles of Resolution 98, referred to as Resolution 98 (new), grants Ho Chi Minh City powers beyond the current egalitarian institutional status quo. This helps to resolve the current legal situation which is an institutional space that is too “narrow” for a city with more than 14 million people and has its own advantages in terms of very dynamic and creative human resources.

National Assembly representative and lawyer Truong Trong Nghia speaks in the parliamentary chamber. Photo: QUANG PHUC

* What are the main principles and core amendments and additions to Resolution 98 (new), sir?

* The general spirit of Resolution 98 (new) is that Ho Chi Minh City is granted much greater autonomy than the general legal framework, even differing in some aspects and contradicting current legal regulations.

This expansion of autonomy focuses on policies and mechanisms to attract strategic investors; urban development oriented towards public transport development (TOD); establishment of Ho Chi Minh City Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and on urban management, resources, environment, as well as urban railway development.

* With such priority authorities, how do you evaluate the feasibility and impact of the new mechanism, or in other words, do those "priority" contents come with the tasks and challenges that Ho Chi Minh City must shoulder?

* Reading the draft, we see many instances of the word "allowed," but in reality, these are arduous tasks, as well as significant demands and challenges for the city's political system, entrepreneurs, and workers.

Granted greater autonomy, HCMC must create efficiency with specific, measurable figures and targets and contribute positively to the overall development of the country. That is the task of completing economic goals, such as double-digit growth for many years, ensuring financial and banking stability.

Along with that are social indicators such as ensuring a green and clean environment, a civilized and orderly society, reducing crime, narrowing the gap between rich and poor; developing healthcare and education to improve the quality of life for 14 million people.

To complete the above tasks, Ho Chi Minh City must build a team of cadres, civil servants and public employees with sufficient numbers, professional capacity to meet job requirements and high public ethics, free from corruption, negativity and waste. From that, we can see that the above "can" are requirements, even challenges, for the city's political system.

* To maximize the effectiveness of these specific mechanisms, what kind of support and collaboration does Ho Chi Minh City need from the central government and the entire country?

* If Ho Chi Minh City successfully implements mechanisms and policies, it will contribute to the overall success of the whole country; if Ho Chi Minh City falls behind, the whole country will be slowed down. Of course, Ho Chi Minh City cannot succeed without close and synchronous cooperation with the whole country, especially the direction of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly and the Government. This is the reason why Resolution No. 31-NQ/TW of the Politburo has set out the motto: "Ho Chi Minh City for the whole country, the whole country for Ho Chi Minh City".

* In your opinion, how is the amendment and supplementation of Resolution 98 related to the context of digital transformation and recent strategic resolutions of the Politburo?

* The amendments and additions to Resolution 98 took place after the Politburo issued four strategic resolutions (Resolutions No. 57, 59, 66, and 68), aimed at promoting the country's transformation into a highly developed nation by 2045.

The common point of the four strategic resolutions is a breakthrough in institutional reform, turning institutions into driving forces and resources, instead of being obstacles or bottlenecks for development. I believe that the amendment and supplementation of Resolution 98 aims to assign Ho Chi Minh City the responsibility of pioneering these institutional breakthroughs.

* Representative PHAM DUC AN, Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City:

Don't miss out on opportunities for growth.

I agree with the amendment and supplementation of some articles of the Resolution on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City, and I am very grateful to the many delegates who have unanimously agreed.

I highly appreciate the efforts of the drafting unit and the reviewing agencies and committees of the National Assembly in handling a huge volume of work and submitting the draft resolutions to the National Assembly in time for this session. Any delay would have resulted in the loss of many opportunities.

The content of the draft resolutions is in line with the spirit and policy of the Politburo, which is how to make leading units have specific policies with certain superiority, with the spirit of "local decision, local action, local responsibility". After the pilot, mass initiatives can be replicated and legalized.

* Representative TRINH LAM SINH, Delegation of the National Assembly of An Giang Province:

Ho Chi Minh City is eligible to implement a special, breakthrough mechanism.

The development space of Ho Chi Minh City has been expanded, meeting the standards to implement special and breakthrough mechanisms and policies for stronger and deeper development. According to the plan, Ho Chi Minh City will become an international financial center, attracting large economic groups.

Free Trade Zones (FTZs) have very special and preferential policies, acting as a "magnet" to attract economic resources, corporations, and large enterprises with high quality, capital, scientific and technical expertise, and management skills.

I would like to see an assessment of the impact of FTZ on surrounding areas to ensure that it meets the requirements of both achieving grand development goals and maintaining the competitiveness of the areas surrounding Ho Chi Minh City.

* Representative NGUYEN THANH PHUONG, Delegation of the National Assembly of Can Tho City:

We need stronger, more sustainable policies.

Ho Chi Minh City is aiming to become a regional megacity, further affirming the city’s role as a driving force and its important position. This is a meaningful goal, so there needs to be specific mechanisms and policies for the city.

Furthermore, in the long term, it's not enough to just have specific resolutions; stronger and more sustainable policies are needed, such as an International Urban Law or a law on Free Trade Zones, as other countries already have. This would prevent Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities from having to seek special mechanisms.

This issue needs to be seriously considered in the next National Assembly term, so as not to get too entangled in mechanisms and have to frequently adjust specific resolutions.

* Representative HOANG VAN CUONG, Delegation of the National Assembly of Hanoi City:

Adjusting mechanisms for new development spaces.

Regarding the urban development model associated with public transport (TOD), from the practical experience of Hanoi City, TOD is an effective development method, both creating new, modern, concentrated urban areas; and solving the problem of traffic infrastructure development, exploiting the land resources without needing funds from the budget investment source.

This mechanism is being encouraged and oriented in large urban areas. To do so, we must exploit the advantages of land, the advantages formed when developing traffic, and at the same time link these advantages with the interests of investors. Policies need to allow them to invest in infrastructure and enjoy commensurate benefits from the associated works.

LAM NGUYEN - DONG SON recorded

Performed by BAO VAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/sua-doi-bo-sung-mot-so-dieu-nghi-quyet-982023qh15-the-che-moi-de-tphcm-the-hien-tot-trach-nhiem-tien-phong-post827810.html