On October 11, in Da Nang City, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Chairman of the Coordination Council for the North Central and Central Coast Region (CCR) chaired the Coordination Conference for the CCR.

The Conference was co-chaired by Mr. Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment, representatives of the Regional Planning Agency with the participation of central ministries, branches, localities in the Central Highlands region, experts and scientists.

At the Conference, on behalf of the agency assigned by the Prime Minister to preside over the preparation of the Regional Planning, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung gave a speech presenting the main contents of the planning.

The planning of the North Central and Central Coastal regions for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, is a step to concretize the National Master Plan, demonstrating the major and fundamental orientations of national sectoral plans on organizing development space; helping to "pave the way", create development drivers, development potentials, new development spaces of the country and the region, and specifically demonstrate them on the spatial scope of each locality.

Clearly defining the role of planning, according to Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, right from the first days of organizing the planning of the North Central and Central Coast regions for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has closely coordinated with ministries, branches and localities in the region to implement regional planning.

The planning of the North Central and Central Coast regions was established in the context that the Politburo issued Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW dated November 3, 2022 on socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the North Central and Central Coast regions to 2030, with a vision to 2045; the Government issued Resolution No. 168/NQ-CP dated August 1, 2022 on the Action Program to implement Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW of the Politburo; the National Assembly approved the National Master Plan and National Land Use Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

In particular, currently 86/110 plans in the national planning system have been appraised; of which 16 national sector plans and 5/14 provincial plans in the region have been approved by the Prime Minister.

The North Central and Central Coast regions are particularly important strategic areas in terms of politics, economy, culture, society, national defense, security and foreign affairs of the whole country; they are the "front" of the country and the "gut" of the Fatherland, the "gateway" to the sea and the "support" for the Central Highlands provinces.

The coastline is nearly 1,800 km long, accounting for more than 55% of the country's coastline, and has many large seaports and airports, so it is of great significance for developing the marine economy and ensuring national defense, security, and maintaining the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

In particular, this is a land with a tradition of steadfast, heroic, and glorious revolutionary struggle, the birthplace of many heroes and great men who have made the country's history famous.

In the recent period, the whole region has achieved many important results and achievements in socio-economy, security and national defense.

The average economic growth in the period 2005-2020 was 7.3%/year, higher than the national growth rate in the same period (6.36%/year). The economic scale of the region in 2020 reached 1,157 trillion VND, 3.3 times higher than in 2010.

The economic structure has shifted towards services and industry as the main focus; a number of basic economic sectors, especially marine economic sectors and sectors with high added value, have been formed and developed; tourism has gradually become a key economic sector.

Although there are many challenges, there are also many opportunities for developing the North Central and Central Coast regions: there are many potentials and advantages to develop the marine economy, develop in a green, circular, creative, sustainable and inclusive direction; foreign investors are shifting their supply chains to Vietnam; the potential to welcome domestic and international tourists is increasing after the Covid pandemic; as well as mechanisms and policies from the Central Government to help promote infrastructure for development.

Based on the above potentials and advantages, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung affirmed that the North Central and Central Coastal Region Planning has put forward new and innovative identifications and proposals.

At the Conference, the Ministry of Planning and Investment asked for consultation and opinions from members of the Regional Coordination Council, relevant agencies and organizations, experts and scientists on the draft Master Plan for the North Central and Central Coastal Regions for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

On that basis, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will focus on researching, receiving and completing the Regional Planning dossier for submission for appraisal and approval according to regulations.

Concluding the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha affirmed that the North Central and Central Coastal Region Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, after being approved by the Prime Minister, will be a particularly important basis for all levels, sectors and localities to study, develop and implement policies, plans, development programs and investment projects to develop sustainable socio-economic development of the country, the region and localities in the region.