Faced with the slowing growth of the Southeast region, the Prime Minister requested promoting growth drivers, prioritizing the removal of obstacles for key projects to put them into use soon.
"Focusing on removing obstacles" was the consistent message of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the working session with Ho Chi Minh City on socio-economic development, 1 year of implementing special mechanisms and the 4th meeting of the Southeast Regional Coordination Council, which took place on August 10.
There is a special mechanism that is still blocked.
Assessing the 1-year implementation of Resolution 98/2023 of the National Assembly on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that the mechanisms were implemented quickly and achieved certain results but there were still limitations. Coordination between ministries and branches was slow, and comments were unclear and not timely, so there was not enough basis to submit to the Prime Minister for decision.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh works with Ho Chi Minh City on socio-economic development and implementation results of Resolution 98 of the National Assembly.
VNA
For example, regarding the Can Gio international transit port project, Mr. Dung said that he is waiting for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to assess environmental issues; provide guidance on land allocation, sea surface allocation, land use conversion; environmental protection, protection of natural heritage, and biodiversity of the Can Gio mangrove biosphere reserve. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has not yet guided the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and investors on the process and procedures for converting forest use purposes. The Ministry of Transport needs to develop criteria for technology used for the project during the investor selection process; assess technology-related issues when selecting investors, and assess traffic connectivity. Mr. Le Cong Thanh, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, explained that the delay in assessing the environmental impact of this project is due to the lack of land use plans for Ho Chi Minh City and Can Gio District. Furthermore, the project is located in the buffer zone of Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, so it must comply with regulations on forest management and protection. If the project's purpose is to be changed, it must have important significance for security and defense or be approved by the Prime Minister.
Need more correct awareness in coordinating actions
Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen speaks at the meeting
NHAT THINH
Mr. Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, assessed that the goal of decentralization and maximum authorization still has many obstacles and is not yet synchronized. The mechanism of the Prime Minister as Head of the Steering Committee demonstrates a sense of responsibility. However, when the Prime Minister discovers and directs solutions to problems, ministries and branches are still struggling to find current regulations for safety, leading to delays and prolongation. Therefore, the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee believes that it is necessary to have a more correct perception in coordinating actions, encouraging dynamic and creative cadres who dare to think and dare to do. Mr. Nen also acknowledged that administrative reform and digital transformation are still slow and troublesome not only for people and businesses but also in the implementation system. Mr. Nen believes that it is necessary to gather obstacles and limitations and recommend that the Government issue a strong enough resolution to remove them. For matters beyond the authority, they should be reported to the Politburo, the National Assembly, and the National Assembly Standing Committee for removal.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the two ministries to sit down and work together to resolve the issue, while noting that the people, the work, the time, and the purpose must be clear, and that it must be completed by next week. According to the Prime Minister, this project has been included in the Politburo's resolution, and once there is a plan, solutions for implementation must be discussed. Regarding institutional difficulties, the Prime Minister acknowledged that this is a common difficulty for the whole country, and at the same time suggested that Ho Chi Minh City from vivid practice contribute to the Government's improvement. Regarding the Law on Public Investment, the Prime Minister said that there are still many problems, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has listed 52 tasks that need to be resolved, and the Government is focusing on submitting them to the National Assembly for amendment at the year-end session.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspects the construction site of Tan Son Nhat T3 Passenger Terminal Project
VNA
Regarding the implementation of Resolution 98, the Prime Minister assessed that the results achieved are fundamental, especially in removing obstacles in terms of law, institutions, resources, and organizational apparatus. "What needs to be done is to be more determined, make more efforts, work with focus, finish one task, and use that as motivation, joy, and inspiration to do the next task," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh added.
Struggle to start construction of 3 highways on April 30, 2025
At the 4th conference of the Southeast Regional Coordination Council, the Ministry of Planning and Investment said that after the 3rd conference in May 2024, 3 more tasks have been completed: adding the planning of Can Gio international transit port to the master plan for the development of Vietnam's seaport system, approving the investment policy for the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway project (phase 1), the National Assembly approved the investment policy for the Chon Thanh - Gia Nghia expressway project. For inter-regional projects, more than 90% of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway surface area through Ba Ria-Vung Tau province is paved with crushed stone, and the entire route is expected to be technically opened to traffic on April 30, 2025. The T3 terminal project at Tan Son Nhat airport has reached about 60% progress, the rough construction of the passenger terminal has been 100% completed. Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project currently has 3 problems: sand for construction volume, site clearance and progress of some items. Localities where the project passes will meet to discuss, trying to open the technical traffic by January 2026 and complete it in the second quarter of 2026. For the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 project, the project dossier has been completed, in August 2024 it will be submitted to the Ministry of Transport for appraisal before submitting to the Government. It is expected that this project will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval of the investment policy at the meeting at the end of 2024. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged that the development process of the Southeast region in recent times has faced a number of limitations, difficulties and challenges, especially the economic growth in the first 6 months of 2024 only reached 5.58%, lower than the national average, only higher than the Central Highlands (3.86%). The Prime Minister requested localities in the region to prioritize disbursement of public investment capital, promote innovation, apply science and technology, and train high-quality human resources. Ministries, branches, and localities urgently complete research tasks for regional and inter-regional projects such as the international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City, the free trade center in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and connecting road systems. In particular, the Prime Minister assigned the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to preside over and submit outstanding mechanisms and policies under the authority of the National Assembly for the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 project at the meeting in November 2024. Localities urgently complete the following procedures for the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai, Chon Thanh - Gia Nghia, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressways, striving to start construction on April 30, 2025.
Good infrastructure is the foundation for sustainable development
On the same afternoon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspected the progress, visited and encouraged contractors, engineers and workers of the T3 passenger terminal construction project at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh works with Ho Chi Minh City on the city's socio-economic development and the implementation of Resolution 98 of the National Assembly.
NHAT THINH
Reporting to the Prime Minister, a representative of the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV, the investor) said that so far the output value has reached VND5,880 billion (54.3% of the plan), the total disbursement value is VND3,759 billion (34.7%). The project implementation is on schedule, without any difficulties or problems. Due to the distance between T3 terminal and the existing terminal being quite far, the connection solution will be by electric bus, with one trip every 15 minutes. Up to now, ACV has met with major domestic airlines such as Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet to organize the effective exploitation of the entire new terminal. In his directive speech, the Prime Minister pointed out the current situation at Tan Son Nhat airport, both runways are jammed due to the narrow distance between the two runways, planes cannot land and take off at the same time. Not only that, the terminal is also overloaded. Therefore, the urgent requirement is to reduce the load and congestion at Tan Son Nhat terminal. According to the Prime Minister, the construction time is not long, while the workload is still quite large (about 45.7%) and is a part of the work with high requirements on technique, aesthetics, close coordination and synchronization between contractors and construction units. Therefore, it is necessary to direct more strongly, supervise more closely, and promptly handle arising issues to ensure construction progress and quality of the project. Promote digital transformation, invest in smart and automatic management and monitoring systems to facilitate users and reduce operating personnel. Invest in green and smart energy systems such as rooftop solar power. Complete the green tree system, garden landscape outside the project, at parking lots, and traffic routes early to synchronize when put into use. The Prime Minister thanked thousands of workers working day and night on the construction site. To ensure the quality and efficiency of the project, put it into operation and exploitation on the occasion of April 30, 2025, the Prime Minister requested ACV to concentrate the human resources of the investor, consulting units and construction contractors. Coordinate with relevant agencies, continue to promote the spirit of "only working, not retreating", "overcoming the sun, overcoming the rain", "eating quickly, sleeping urgently", "working in 3 shifts and 4 shifts", working through holidays and Tet to implement the construction of the project to ensure quality, technique, aesthetics, safety and environmental sanitation. Do not let loss, waste or negativity occur. To speed up the project progress and ensure quality, the Prime Minister pointed out some experiences. Accordingly, it is necessary to promote the role of the head and mobilize the participation of the entire political system. Do a good job of site clearance; choose contractors publicly, transparently and in accordance with regulations to prevent and combat negativity, corruption, loss and not lose staff. Relevant agencies must coordinate closely and smoothly; the assignment of work must be clear to the person and the task... "I see that many tasks are currently overlapping, with many legal problems, so leaders must urge, inspect, and stay close to the situation to immediately resolve the problems," the Prime Minister directed. On the same afternoon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening ceremony of package No. 9 - the project to build a road connecting Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa; at the same time, launching a 130-day emulation campaign to speed up the construction progress, completing the opening of the entire route by December 31, 2024, ready to serve terminal T3 when put into operation. The Prime Minister highly appreciated the significance of this project and stated that this is one of the city's major projects, showing the high determination and great efforts of the Party Committee, government and people of Ho Chi Minh City. The Prime Minister thanked the people for giving up land and housing for the project. The Prime Minister asked the city to learn from experience to do better in the next projects. If it is done, there will be a good infrastructure system as a foundation for rapid and sustainable economic development. In the near future, the city will also build expressways, radial belt roads, roads connecting Tan Son Nhat airport with Long Thanh airport, urban railways, North-South railways... Therefore, the Government is always concerned and has a high responsibility to help the city complete it. The immediate task is to resolve legal issues, and at the same time, the city's leaders must also make more efforts and be highly determined.
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