Hai Phong announces economic zone decisions, launches free trade zone

The Hai Phong People's Committee held a conference on the afternoon of July 30 to announce the Prime Minister's decisions on economic zones (EZ) and officially launch the Hai Phong Free Trade Zone (FTZ).

Creating new growth space

In his opening remarks, Secretary of the Hai Phong Party Committee Le Ngoc Chau emphasized that the city has consistently been one of the most attractive investment destinations in the region. To date, the city has attracted more than 1,868 FDI projects from 42 countries and territories, with total registered capital exceeding USD 54 billion, accounting for nearly 10% of Vietnam's total FDI. Major domestic corporations, including Vingroup, Sun Group, Hoa Phat, Geleximco, and Kinh Bac, are implementing large-scale projects that continue to strengthen the city's growth momentum.

According to the Secretary of the city Party Committee, with a determination to "create new growth space" and a strong aspiration for development, Hai Phong aims to become one of Vietnam's leading economic centers, a strategic trade gateway for the region and the world, and a major port city at the forefront of industrialization, digital transformation, green transition, and innovation.

To achieve these goals, the city will focus on implementing key tasks and solutions in a comprehensive manner. Priority will be given to building a service-oriented and action-driven government that serves both residents and businesses, further reforming administrative procedures, improving the quality of public officials, and making public and business satisfaction the key measure of governance effectiveness.

Chau affirmed that Hai Phong remains committed to accompanying businesses and investors under the principle of "harmonized interests and shared risks," proactively resolving difficulties, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and fostering a stable, transparent investment environment for sustainable, long-term development.

At the conference, Le Anh Quan, Standing Vice Chairman of the city People's Committee, announced the Prime Minister's decision establishing the Hai Phong Specialized EZ, covering 5,300 hectares, and the decision approving the master plan for the Southern Hai Phong Coastal EZ through 2050, spanning approximately 20,000 hectares.

Central and city leaders also performed the launch ceremony for the Hai Phong FTZ, the first in Vietnam to begin operations with breakthrough mechanisms and policies, along with favorable conditions in infrastructure, taxation, customs, trade, and finance to attract high-quality investment, advanced technologies, and highly skilled talent.

On this occasion, city leaders presented investment registration certificates for 13 newly licensed and expanded projects with a combined investment of approximately USD 2.6 billion. They also awarded two memoranda of understanding on industrial park infrastructure research and development with a combined expected investment of USD 540 million.

The total investment value of the projects and memoranda of understanding presented at the conference reached approximately USD 3.2 billion.

Notably, the second project of LG Innotek Vietnam Co., Ltd., with an investment of USD 1 billion, will be developed in Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park (Zone 2), part of the DEEP C Industrial Park Complex within the Hai Phong FTZ. The project further demonstrates Hai Phong's appeal to leading global technology corporations while strengthening the city's high-tech and semiconductor industrial ecosystem.

Targeted development with effectiveness as the benchmark

Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau congratulated Hai Phong and stressed that announcing the Prime Minister's decisions on the EZs and launching the Hai Phong FTZ represented more than the implementation of administrative decisions. It marks the beginning of a new stage of development and serves as an invitation for cooperation as well as a commitment to action by the Government of Vietnam and Hai Phong toward domestic and international businesses and investors.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, in the new phase, Hai Phong will have three strategic growth spaces: the Dinh Vu – Cat Hai EZ, the Southern Hai Phong Coastal EZ, and the Hai Phong Specialized EZ.

At the same time, the Hai Phong FTZ should be viewed as an institutional catalyst and a platform connecting these economic spaces into a unified ecosystem.

If effectively implemented, these models will reshape Hai Phong's development landscape, linking the western part of the city to the sea, connecting manufacturing with international trade, and transforming investment attraction into technology acquisition, thereby positioning Hai Phong as a strategic growth pole for the Red River Delta, the Northern Coastal Region, and the country as a whole.

Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee Do Thanh Trung affirmed that the city would fully implement the Deputy Prime Minister's directives and regard them as an action agenda to be translated into concrete programs, plans, and tasks immediately following the conference.

With the highest determination, Hai Phong will focus on swiftly putting the Central bodies’ policies and mechanisms into practice while developing the Hai Phong FTZ into a model one, providing a practical foundation for further institutional reforms and replication nationwide.

LE HIEP – LE DUNG