6 specific policy groups to clear bottlenecks for Hai Phong's development

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks. Photo: VNA

On the morning of April 17, the National Assembly Standing Committee continued its 44th session, giving opinions on the draft Resolution replacing Resolution No. 35/2021/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Hai Phong City.

Briefing the draft Resolution of the National Assembly, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said that the issuance of a new Resolution to replace Resolution No. 35 of the National Assembly on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Hai Phong City to clear "bottlenecks", create breakthroughs, have great influence in the Red River Delta and contribute more to the economic growth rate of the whole country is necessary, in line with the goals set by the Politburo in Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW, Conclusion No. 96-KL/TW on the construction and development of Hai Phong City to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The National Assembly's draft Resolution stipulates 6 major policy groups with 41 specific policies, including: Investment management (2 policies); financial management, state budget (4 policies); planning, urban, natural resources, and environmental management (9 policies); science and technology management, innovation (8 policies); income of cadres, civil servants, and public employees under the management of Hai Phong City (1 policy); establishment and mechanisms and policies in the new generation Free Trade Zone in Hai Phong City (17 policies).

Approving the issuance of the Resolution replacing Resolution 35, however, the Standing Committee of the Economic and Financial Committee suggested that along with implementing the Party's correct policy on changing administrative boundaries, the submission needs to be comprehensively assessed, thereby expanding the scope of application of this Resolution to the newly merged areas; building a breakthrough, creative, inclusive and comprehensive policy.

View of the meeting. Photo: VNA

For the expanded area after the merger, it is recommended to have appropriate specific policies to promote advantages and unique characteristics in terms of geographical location, economy and culture.

“Although the draft Resolution has an open provision for mergers, however, that provision is only a general principle; the policies in the draft are basically only built on the basis of implementing Resolution 45 and Conclusion 96 of the Politburo; the impact assessments and goals set are currently only based on the existing boundaries, existing population, and current potential of Hai Phong alone before the merger,” Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai stated.

Concerned about how Hai Phong will apply this Resolution when it is preparing to expand its area, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee Hoang Thanh Tung said that this is not only a problem for Hai Phong, but also Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho, and Khanh Hoa, all of which have their own resolutions on specific policies and mechanisms.

At the upcoming session, the National Assembly will have to have a common resolution when these localities merge and expand their areas. Thus, the resolutions for these localities must have common principles to allow.

Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee Hoang Thanh Tung speaks. Photo: VNA

Mr. Hoang Thanh Tung suggested that when the Government Party Committee reports to the Politburo for comments on this issue, it should be broader, with a principle that the resolutions on piloting specific policy mechanisms currently applied to relevant localities that will be merged and expanded in the coming time will continue to be applied to localities after the arrangement and merger.

This principle may be stipulated in the National Assembly's resolution on the arrangement, merger and expansion of provincial administrative units.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh said the draft Resolution has sufficient grounds to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the 9th Session. These policies are all necessary and, if implemented well, will have good effects.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly also suggested that the Government soon issue a document asking for the Politburo's opinion to expand the scope of application to localities for provinces and cities after the merger to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho, Khanh Hoa, Hai Phong; allowing adjustments to the content to suit the new boundaries and new development requirements. The new boundaries are larger, the new development requirements are to both worry about development and social security.

"The localities that have piloted special policies and mechanisms are all strong, capable, and healthy, but the localities that have been added are all weaker localities." Pointing out this, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh said that when the Politburo concluded, the Government submitted it to the National Assembly right at the 9th Session, and included it in the session's general resolution.

Agreeing with the above opinions, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man suggested that the Government seek the Politburo's opinion to immediately apply the current special mechanism for localities to merge and expand their areas. When discussing this content at the 9th Session, it will be decided immediately for Hai Phong to merge with Hai Duong, and equivalent units will be synchronized.

The National Assembly Chairman also said that it is necessary to further promote decentralization and delegation of power, in accordance with the direction of the Politburo and the Secretariat that "locality decides, locality acts, locality is responsible, the Central, National Assembly, and Government create and supervise".

Financial and budget mechanisms must be more preferential. Hai Phong must take the lead in digital transformation and AI application.

Regarding the visa exemption policy, Point e, Clause 1, Article 10 of the draft Resolution stipulates “visa exemption and 10-year temporary residence card issuance for foreigners who are experts, scientists, people with special talents, managers, highly skilled workers and family members working at enterprises headquartered in the Hai Phong Free Trade Zone”.

Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Committee for People's Aspirations and Supervision Le Thi Nga proposed more specific regulations on criteria for evaluating experts and people with special talents, to limit abuse when applying policies.

Regarding this issue, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc said that he will add regulations to clearly define the concepts of experts, scientists, people with special talents, and managers to avoid cases of taking advantage of policies.

VN (according to VNA)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/6-nhom-chinh-sach-dac-thu-de-khoi-thong-diem-nghen-cho-hai-phong-phat-trien-409594.html