Regional mergers and connectivity could help Ho Chi Minh City become Asia's growth pole

The area from Hang Xanh intersection to Binh Trieu bridge - an important gateway of Ho Chi Minh City - is proposed to be developed according to the TOD model - Photo: CHAU TUAN

From this planning, if this combination is implemented when merging provinces and cities, the economic scale of Ho Chi Minh City can account for nearly 30% of the country's GRDP.

So which localities should Ho Chi Minh City cooperate with to take advantage of development advantages, turning this leading city of the country into a new growth engine in the coming period?

Ho Chi Minh City: Growth nucleus, Asian economic pole - Global destination

According to the Southeast regional planning approved by the Prime Minister in May 2024, Ho Chi Minh City is considered the nucleus and growth pole of the region; the economic, financial and service center of Asia, developing on par with major cities in the world, and an attractive global destination.

Notably, the planning provides orientation for industrial development, regional and sub-regional linkages, and infrastructure, all with Ho Chi Minh City as the center to expand and form industrial clusters.

Including: electronics, semiconductor industry, chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence (HCMC - Binh Duong - Dong Nai - Ba Ria-Vung Tau), manufacturing of household electrical appliances (Binh Duong - Dong Nai).

Mechanical industry produces and assembles automobiles, motorbikes, agricultural machinery (HCMC - Binh Duong - Dong Nai), petrochemical industry and produces chemical products from oil and gas (Ba Ria - Vung Tau); mechanical industry builds ships and floating structures for oil and gas exploitation (Ba Ria - Vung Tau - Southeast of HCMC)...

Industrial development is linked to inter-regional traffic axes, focusing on the expressways Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay, Ho Chi Minh City - Chon Thanh - Hoa Lu, Moc Bai - Ho Chi Minh City - Bien Hoa - Vung Tau and Ring Road 3 and Ring Road 4 of Ho Chi Minh City.

Talking to Tuoi Tre Online , Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai - former vice principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, member of the Advisory Council for Resolution 98 of Ho Chi Minh City -   said that the integrated planning of Ho Chi Minh City has a framework for orienting the development of economic sectors.

Including traditional industries such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, machinery manufacturing and processing; and new trending industries such as biotechnology, medical equipment, automation, semiconductors and renewable energy.

However, there are challenges for the city, including transforming the growth model to enter a new era with high and sustainable growth rates; the issue of high-quality human resources, attracting investment from domestic and foreign enterprises and promoting infrastructure.

To address the above challenges, Professor Hoai believes that it is necessary to focus on promoting infrastructure development to help completely resolve the vicious cycle between productivity, wages, high-quality labor and investment capital.

Ho Chi Minh City combines provinces on infrastructure platform, towards the sea

This is even more important when implementing regional linkages, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with neighboring localities and merging provincial administrative units to expand space and unleash resources for the city.

In particular, Professor Hoai noted that connecting transport infrastructure is of particular importance for Ho Chi Minh City to reduce transportation costs and urban congestion, improve business competitiveness and increase opportunities to attract investors in the coming period.

According to the Southeast region planning on the arrangement, selection and distribution of development space, the orientation of sub-regions will include Ho Chi Minh City, the southern area of ​​Binh Duong province and the southwestern area of ​​Dong Nai province, focusing on industry, technology, finance, and training of high-quality human resources.

The coastal sub-region includes Can Gio area (HCMC) and Ba Ria - Vung Tau province to become a strong international marine economic center in Asia, a chain of coastal tourist urban areas in the direction of green urban areas in Vung Tau City, Con Dao is an ecological tourist area of ​​the sea, islands, historical culture, spirituality...

In particular, the plan also proposes a plan to develop the Southern dynamic region including Ho Chi Minh City - Binh Duong - Dong Nai - Ba Ria - Vung Tau to become a national dynamic region.

This dynamic area will include: Ho Chi Minh City and district-level areas along National Highways 22, 13, 1, 51, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh Expressway through Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces with Ho Chi Minh City as the growth pole.

With the above planning orientation, Prof. Dr. Hoai believes that in order to expand the development space for the city, it is necessary to focus on TOD projects (a model that takes the orientation of public transport development as the basis for urban development planning) to create a breakthrough. Associated with the construction of Can Gio international transit port, financial centers, technology centers, innovation, and regional connectivity.

"That will be a development space facing the sea, which will make the city's growth bounce back based on productivity and quality factors" - Professor Hoai expressed his opinion.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sap-nhap-va-ket-noi-vung-co-the-giup-tp-hcm-tro-thanh-cuc-tang-truong-cua-chau-a-20250325165728233.htm