Prospects for developing new industrial parks and economic zones
The merger of Hai Phong city and Hai Duong province is not only a matter of redrawing administrative boundaries but also a strategic move aimed at expanding development space and restructuring the system of industrial parks (IPs) and economic zones (EZs) towards inter-regional integration, modernity, and sustainability.
Breakthroughs from regional connectivity
At the 2025 Hai Phong Investment Promotion Conference, held on the sidelines of the third meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC III), the city handed over investment registration certificates to 32 projects and signed 7 memorandums of understanding with a total committed capital of over 15.6 billion USD.
Notably, these include infrastructure development projects for Tan Trao, Ngu Phuc, Thuy Nguyen, Tran Duong – Hoa Binh, Tien Lang Airport, Binh Giang, Hoang Dieu, and Kim Thanh 2 IPs, along with component projects totaling nearly 10 billion USD in investment.
These figures clearly reflect the appeal of the newly expanded Hai Phong, a “promised land” capable of accompanying enterprises and investors on the path to sustainable development.
According to the city People's Committee, following the merger, the city now has 40 IPs (20 in East Hai Phong and 20 in West Hai Phong) with a total area of approximately 11,208 ha. Additionally, there are two major EZs: Dinh Vu – Cat Hai and one in the southern coastal area of Hai Phong. This extensive network of IPs and EZs is among the largest in the country, offering substantial room for attracting investment.
Importantly, even before the merger, both Hai Phong and Hai Duong were major industrial production hubs in the North, with a shared focus on high-tech industry as the cornerstone of their economies.
After the merger, Hai Phong, already a major industrial and seaport center in the North, gained expanded land reserves and a large labor force from the former Hai Duong province. This has created two critical “links”: East Hai Phong focuses on high-tech industries, port operations, and logistics, while West Hai Phong acts as a satellite for production, labor supply, and expansion of industrial land. This synergy forms a complete supply chain, reduces logistics costs, enhances operational efficiency, and boosts the competitiveness of the northern key economic region.
Building a sustainable industrial ecosystem
Hai Phong’s development strategy for IPs and EZs in this new era goes beyond expanding land area or attracting more projects. It centers on supporting enterprises to operate efficiently and develop sustainably.
A modern industrial ecosystem model includes not only land and infrastructure but also legal services, logistics, worker housing, high-quality human resources, supply chains, and innovation.
To realize this model, the city has intensified dialogue with the business community, regularly reviewed and resolved procedure bottlenecks, accelerated construction permitting, and improved infrastructure connectivity. It is also encouraging the development of “smart IPs” aligned with green, circular, energy-saving, and fully digitalized standards for management and production.
Recently, the Hai Phong EZ Authority held a meeting with infrastructure enterprises operating in the new city’s IPs and EZs. Business representatives praised the consistent support and responsiveness of the city in general and the authority in particular in addressing investors’ and enterprises’ concerns, creating favorable conditions for their production and business.
Le Trung Kien, Head of the Hai Phong EZ Authority, emphasized that following the merger, the potential for developing IPs and EZs in the new Hai Phong city is immense.
He called on infrastructure enterprises to compile their proposals, concerns, and obstacles so that the authority can report them to the city leaders in upcoming working sessions. “The success of enterprises is also the success of Hai Phong city,” he affirmed, pledging maximum support for investors and businesses.
HIEP LE