(Chinhphu.vn) - The Prime Minister requested to build a new Project on Phu Quoc development to propose to competent authorities, bringing Phu Quoc to develop faster and more sustainably on the basis of science and technology, innovation, start-ups, promoting internal strength and people of Phu Quoc and Kien Giang , arousing, spreading and raising the aspiration to develop Phu Quoc.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the conference to review Decision 178/2004/QD-TTg on the overall development of Phu Quoc Island to 2010 and vision to 2020 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
On the morning of March 31, in Phu Quoc city, Kien Giang province, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the conference to review Decision 178/2004/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the overall development project of Phu Quoc island until 2010 and vision to 2020.
The conference was organized by the People's Committee of Kien Giang province. Also attending the conference were General Le Hong Anh, former member of the Politburo, former Standing member of the Secretariat; members of the Party Central Committee: Deputy Head of the Central Organizing Committee, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh, Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Secretary of the Kien Giang Provincial Party Committee Do Thanh Binh, leaders of ministries, branches and localities.
Previously, on March 30, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh surveyed the actual situation to solve urgent, fundamental, and long-term issues for Phu Quoc to develop quickly and sustainably.
The Prime Minister suggested some contents for delegates to focus on discussing - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.
The special potentials of Phu Quoc
At the Conference, following the Prime Minister's suggestion, delegates focused on discussing a number of contents: The Party and State's guidelines, viewpoints, policies, mechanisms, and policies, the Prime Minister's decisions on Phu Quoc in the past 20 years; analyzing more deeply, clearly, and thoroughly the achievements that have been made, the things that have not been done, the objective and subjective reasons and the lessons learned; feelings and impressions of Phu Quoc through each visit, through each period; concerns and worries about Phu Quoc; in the current period, how is Phu Quoc developing with what orientation, tasks, and solutions; giving advice to Phu Quoc on breakthrough mechanisms and policies, the coordination of ministries, branches, the self-reliance of Phu Quoc, of businesses and people.
Kien Giang Provincial Party Secretary Do Thanh Binh speaks at the Conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Leaders of ministries and branches also responded to and answered proposals and recommendations of Kien Giang province on Phu Quoc development.
Analyzing the potential, opportunities and advantages of this land, delegates assessed that Phu Quoc consists of 22 large and small islands, the largest of which is Phu Quoc Island with an area of nearly 590 km2 (equal to nearly 80% of Singapore's area); located on the international shipping route; no more than 2 hours flight from the capitals of ASEAN countries.
Phu Quoc has a strategic position in terms of economy, culture, trade, tourism, national defense and security. Phu Quoc has great potential for developing tourism, services and marine economy with a 150 km long coastline, many beautiful beaches, blue sea, white sand, bright sunshine, blue sky, fresh air, cool rivers and streams. Pleasant climate all year round. Many famous specialties such as pepper, pearls, herring, Melaleuca mushrooms...
Phu Quoc is also the largest fishing ground in the south with a potential area for marine farming of nearly 1,400 km2, with a diverse and large marine ecosystem and aquatic resources, many of which are of high value. Nature has favored it with beautiful scenery and abundant resources, with more than 60% of the natural area being mountains and primeval forests. In particular, Phu Quoc National Park with an area of over 36,200 hectares with a rich forest ecosystem, flora and fauna; belonging to the Kien Giang Coastal and Island Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve. Phu Quoc has many revolutionary historical relics, notably Phu Quoc Prison, which used to be a "hell on earth", marking the tragic vestiges of nearly 40,000 patriotic communist soldiers. Phu Quoc people are rich in revolutionary traditions, solidarity, diligence, kindness, hospitality, dynamism, creativity, and a desire to enrich their homeland and country.
Dr. Tran Dinh Thien: Phu Quoc is a unique and unusual development coordinate, unlike any other locality in many aspects - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Phu Quoc - a different and unusual development coordinate
According to Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Economic Institute, Phu Quoc is a unique and unusual development coordinate, unlike any other locality in many aspects.
Accordingly, Phu Quoc has high potential, advantages, uniqueness, and is facilitated with outstanding development vision, investment attraction capacity - large-scale, high-speed and international-class development; a breakthrough development roadmap, along with "miraculous" growth and development achievements.
Dr. Tran Dinh Thien said that after 20 years, Phu Quoc has made great strides in terms of quantity - scale, position and quality - stature. The following table shows the proportion of some socio-economic indicators in 2022 of Phu Quoc in Kien Giang province, the Mekong Delta region and the whole country (%):
In terms of development level, within 2 decades, Phu Quoc has transformed from a poor island district, far away and almost isolated from major development centers such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, almost "unknown" in terms of development, almost "purely agricultural" with town-level urban areas (type 5 urban areas), straight to type 2 urban areas, becoming a modern island tourist city, having achieved many international standards. This has actually happened, not following the "sequential urbanization" roadmap.
In Kien Giang province alone, Phu Quoc is a "magnet" with extremely strong investment attraction, playing the role of one of the leading important growth pillars of Kien Giang and the Mekong Delta region. By 2020, Phu Quoc's average annual production and business capital increased rapidly, reaching 140,724 billion VND, accounting for 51.6% of the province's total average annual production and business capital.
Regarding investment, Phu Quoc has attracted 338 projects with a capital of 18 billion USD, which is an outstanding success for a district-level locality. The number of registered enterprises in Phu Quoc ranks above 23 provinces, with the presence of leading real estate and tourism investors, most of whom are "purely Vietnamese" private economic groups.
That is the result of a development mindset in the spirit of innovation, creativity, breakthrough efforts, progress, and international competition in a different and classy direction. Reality shows that the more outstanding vision and a pioneering and different development approach are realized quickly and synchronously, the faster Phu Quoc will rise, the better (outstanding) its contribution to the development of the province, region, and the whole country; the pioneering position - leading and spreading development, and international competitiveness of Phu Quoc will be enhanced.
On the other hand, the development process of Phu Quoc still faces many difficulties and obstacles, and is subject to constraints and limitations in terms of mechanisms, policies and resource allocation. Phu Quoc City basically still operates within the institutional framework of a normal district-level administrative unit.
Referring to the story of bringing electricity to Phu Quoc and Van Don (Quang Ninh), Mr. Tran Dinh Thien affirmed that if we turn challenges into opportunities, encourage and create conditions for businesses to solve those challenges, it will create strong and breakthrough development, of which Phu Quoc is an example.
Therefore, in the coming period, it is necessary to continue to "open and raise the level of development" for Phu Quoc, clearly and correctly defining the regional - national position (growth driver, leading function and spreading development) and international (pioneering integration and global - regional competition) of Phu Quoc.
Dr. Nguyen Si Dung, former Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, said that the Phu Quoc planning project until 2040 is quite detailed, the most important thing is to list projects, works and mechanisms to attract strategic investors.
Dr. Nguyen Si Dung also proposed to study so that Phu Quoc can have the status of a special administrative-economic unit as stipulated in the Constitution; decentralization and delegation of power according to the subsidiary model: All the powers that Phu Quoc can undertake will be assigned to Phu Quoc, only the powers that Phu Quoc cannot undertake will be assigned to higher levels.
Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that the Ministry will coordinate with relevant agencies to develop and submit to competent authorities specific mechanisms and policies for Phu Quoc associated with the pilot model of urban government and Phu Quoc can have the first urban government of a province. In the immediate future, it is necessary to promote urbanization so that Phu Quoc can become a type 1 city.
Many indicators increased dozens, hundreds of times after 20 years.
In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the Government Office and relevant agencies to fully synthesize and absorb all valid opinions, promptly draft the Conference Conclusion Notice to submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation for unified implementation; at the same time, assign the Ministry of Planning and Investment and relevant agencies to develop a new Project on Phu Quoc development to propose to competent authorities, bringing Phu Quoc to develop faster and more sustainably on the basis of science and technology, innovation, start-ups, promoting internal strength and people of Phu Quoc and Kien Giang.
The Prime Minister stated that Phu Quoc has an important and very special role and position in socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, developing culture and tourism, and improving the material and spiritual life of the people.
"This place has many distinct potentials, outstanding opportunities, competitive advantages, and the Party and State have had many policies, mechanisms, and strategies to promote Phu Quoc's development. The Party and State's attention is consistent, focused, and prioritized in terms of policies, resources, and potential to protect national security and defense," said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister acknowledged and commended the efforts and achievements of the government, army and people of Phu Quoc City in particular and Kien Giang province in general over the past many years.
The Prime Minister assessed that after 20 years, Phu Quoc has basically achieved the goals in the Phu Quoc Overall Development Project according to Decision No. 178/2004/QD-TTg, affirming the correctness, accuracy and effectiveness of the Party and State's guidelines, policies and strategies for Phu Quoc.
Outstanding growth, positive economic structure shift. Growth rate reaches 19.6%/year.
The growth rate of tourism activity value in the period 2011-2023 reached over 38%/year, 6 times higher than the national average. Tourists increased from 130 thousand in 2004 to 3.5 million in 2020; 5.57 million in 2023 (achieving the target according to Decision 178).
Industrial and construction production value increased from 310 billion VND in 2006 to more than 19.1 trillion VND in 2023. Agriculture developed in the direction of applying science and technology, transforming the structure of high-value crops and livestock.
The budget, which has not been able to cover its expenditures, has now been adjusted to the province. Budget revenue has increased 113 times, to more than 7.8 trillion VND in 2023 compared to 38.6 billion VND in 2004.
Socio-economic infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, has developed relatively synchronously in terms of airports, seaports and roads. In particular, Phu Quoc International Airport connects directly to major domestic and international cities.
Investment attraction has achieved impressive results. Total social investment capital in 2023 reached over 21.6 trillion VND, 64 times higher than in 2004. From "no investment projects" increased to 321 projects with a total investment capital of 412 trillion VND in 2023. Among them, many investment projects have high-quality products, of regional and international stature.
The Prime Minister requested to further raise awareness of the position and role of Phu Quoc - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The business development situation has achieved positive results. By 2023, there will be over 4,400 enterprises with registered capital of over 142 trillion VND, a 17-fold increase in the number of enterprises and a nearly 400-fold increase in registered capital compared to 2004.
Phu Quoc island district officially became a class II city under Kien Giang province since 2020. The fields of culture, society, health, education and training have made much progress, people's lives have been improved. National defense, security, and protection of sea and island sovereignty have been strengthened; social order and safety are stable.
Party building and the political system are focused on; the leadership capacity of Party committees at all levels and the direction and administration of governments at all levels are improved; the work of preventing corruption and negativity is promoted.
Developing Phu Quoc is not the sole responsibility of Kien Giang or Phu Quoc.
The Prime Minister concluded '6 more points' after 20 years of Phu Quoc development: Enhanced potential; more synchronous strategic infrastructure; more attention, support and assistance from the Party, State, people and international friends; increased prestige, role and position of Phu Quoc; higher contribution to GDP, budget revenue, material and spiritual life of the people; more opportunities and advantages although difficulties and challenges are not less, especially for green and sustainable development and development of digital economy, green economy, circular economy, knowledge economy, sharing economy.
On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged and commended the efforts and achievements of the government, army and people of Phu Quoc City in particular and Kien Giang province in general over the past many years, making important contributions to the overall achievements of the country.
The above results were achieved thanks to the leadership of the Party, directly and regularly led by the Politburo and the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong; the consensus and support of agencies in the political system; the efforts of the Party Committee, government, army and people of Kien Giang province and Phu Quoc city; and the support of international friends.
In addition, the Prime Minister pointed out the limitations, shortcomings, difficulties, and challenges, such as Phu Quoc has not developed to its full potential and can develop better. Phu Quoc is also developing rapidly, with many unsustainable factors such as ensuring clean water and environmental sanitation (there are still no factories or waste treatment centers suitable for the population size); digital transformation infrastructure still has many difficulties.
Along with that, the potential is great but the mechanism and policies are still limited. The environment and human resources still have many challenges. The requirements, conditions, and development are getting higher and higher, but the resources and resource mobilization mechanisms are not as expected, not on par with the development. Besides, there are shortcomings related to land management, the lives of a part of the people are still facing difficulties...
According to the Prime Minister, there are three very important issues for developing islands: water, electricity and waves.
Prime Minister analyzes 6 lessons learned after 20 years of implementing Decision 178
Firstly, identify and correctly assess potentials, opportunities, advantages, difficulties and obstacles in development in order to have appropriate tasks and solutions.
Second, promote the spirit of self-reliance, self-reliance, self-confidence, and rise from your own hands, mind, sky, and sea, because in reality, Phu Quoc has "turned nothing into something, turned difficult into easy, turned impossible into possible".
Third, strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority along with resource allocation, improve the implementation capacity of subordinates, and strengthen supervision and inspection.
Fourth, the resource mobilization mechanism must be open, combining central and local capital, state and social resources, and promoting public-private partnership in many forms.
Fifth, human development, personnel work, and training of high-quality human resources are decisive factors.
Sixth, we must pay attention and invest properly to protect the environment and ecology.
Emphasizing a number of viewpoints and visions, the Prime Minister requested to further raise awareness of the position and role of Phu Quoc; the development of Phu Quoc is not the sole task of Kien Giang or Phu Quoc but the common task of the whole country with the spirit of sharing, understanding, caring, investing, promoting the development of Phu Quoc, contributing to the development of Kien Giang and the Mekong Delta.
"The orientation is to develop Phu Quoc quickly and sustainably; to become a national and international tourist center, a modern, civilized, smart, green, clean, beautiful, safe city, and a livable place," the Prime Minister summarized the goal.
To achieve this goal, it is necessary to continue to innovate thinking, methodology, and approach to solving problems, with the view that resources originate from thinking, motivation originates from innovation, and strength originates from the people; to arouse, spread, and elevate the aspiration to develop Phu Quoc.
Along with that, choosing priority, focus, and key development tasks, especially promoting new growth drivers and renewing traditional growth drivers. Harmoniously developing the economy with culture, society and protecting the ecological environment, improving people's lives, firmly protecting national defense and security, maintaining political stability, social order and safety."6 steps" to develop Phu Quoc
Regarding the key tasks and solutions in the coming time, the Prime Minister requested to thoroughly grasp and synchronously and effectively implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, the direction and administration of the Government, the Prime Minister and the Resolutions of the Provincial and Municipal Party Congresses.
Strictly implement planning, including the approved Phu Quoc Master Plan to 2040; develop Phu Quoc according to the multi-center model, green and smart city; form a chain of concentrated urban areas, including tourism, service and entertainment centers; airports, seaports; nature reserves...
Strongly develop the marine economy, closely combining the effective exploitation of potentials and advantages with ensuring national defense, security, protecting sovereignty over seas and islands, protecting marine resources and environment, preventing and combating natural disasters, and responding to climate change. Continue to focus on creating qualitative changes, ensuring sustainability in Phu Quoc tourism development.
The Prime Minister emphasized "6 thrusts" in the tasks and solutions for Phu Quoc development in the coming time, including:
Firstly, promote the completion of market-oriented mechanisms and policies to promote distinct potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages. Secondly, promote the development of synchronous and modern strategic infrastructure in transportation, healthcare, education, society, information technology, climate change response, and environmental protection. Thirdly, promote decentralization and delegation of power to Phu Quoc in conjunction with appropriate resource allocation, improving implementation capacity, individualizing responsibilities along with inspection, supervision, and control of power.Fourth, promote production, business, create jobs and livelihoods for people on the basis of science and technology, innovation, start-ups, apply achievements of the 4th industrial revolution, form domestic, regional and global production and supply chains.
Fifth, promote and exploit the heroic historical and cultural traditions of Phu Quoc, Kien Giang, and the Mekong Delta region in conjunction with service and tourism development.
Sixth, promote support from ministries, branches and localities for Phu Quoc and Kien Giang so that Phu Quoc can develop according to the set goals.
The Prime Minister noted specific tasks in infrastructure development; developing cultural industries, internationalizing national cultural identities and quintessence and nationalizing world cultural values and quintessence; building modern waste treatment centers; building freshwater reservoirs; developing human resource training facilities; focusing on ensuring social security.
Ha Van - Government Portal
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