Five bottlenecks requiring resolution

According to the Management Board of Dung Quat Economic Zone and Quang Ngai Industrial Zones, alongside zones that are operating effectively, the province still has several industrial zones, industrial-urban complexes, and infrastructure projects that are currently under development and have yet to achieve any occupancy.

Examples include the Dung Quat Industrial-Urban Complex (Phase 3), VSIP II Quang Ngai Industrial Zone, Binh Hoa-Binh Phuoc Industrial Zone, and Pho Phong Industrial Zone.

Analyzing the infrastructure bottlenecks facing the province's economic and industrial zones, Luong Kim Son, Head of the Management Board, identified five issues that need to be addressed promptly.

First, compensation and site clearance processes in certain areas remain sluggish, delaying the handover of cleared land to investors for project implementation. As this is a complex issue directly affecting residents’ interests, it requires a concerted and decisive response from the entire political system—particularly the active role of local authorities in advocacy, public outreach, and implementation.

Secondly, the pace of constructing resettlement areas has not kept up with the speed of project development. Although 4,377 resettlement plots have been developed in the Dung Quat Economic Zone to date, this meets only a small fraction of the estimated demand for 11,000 plots; this shortfall places immense pressure on compensation and site clearance efforts, directly impacts project implementation schedules, and even gives rise to social costs and public grievances.

Thirdly, much of the transport infrastructure in the Dung Quat Economic Zone was built over two decades ago; it no longer meets planning standards and has severely deteriorated. Inter-regional transport networks—as well as connections to the North-South Expressway, raw material supply areas, and logistics hubs—require further investment and completion to fully leverage the zone's deep-water seaport advantages and enhance its competitiveness in attracting investment.

Fourth, while regulations require that investment projects be attracted to industrial zones featuring comprehensive technical infrastructure developed according to approved plans, operational zones still face numerous hurdles.

For instance, the Quang Phu Industrial Zone and the Saigon-Dung Quat Industrial Sub-zone have yet to complete their wastewater collection and treatment systems; meanwhile, the Sao Mai Industrial Zone, the VSIP 2 Industrial Zone project, and the Dung Quat Industrial-Urban Area project are encountering obstacles regarding compensation and site clearance.

Fifth, the processing of investment procedures for certain industrial zone infrastructure projects remains protracted. Coordination among agencies and units has, in some instances, lacked synchronization, leading to project delays and hindering the creation of “clean” land banks necessary to attract investment.

Urgent need to complete infrastructure systems

Given this situation, it is imperative for Quang Ngai Province to concentrate resources on completing technical infrastructure for its economic and industrial zones. The province must accelerate the handover of clean sites to investors, enhance business support services, and intensify targeted investment promotion. These efforts aim to effectively harness industrial potential—particularly the vast opportunities for marine economic development—thereby creating new growth drivers.

Such measures will foster industrial and service sector growth, generate employment, boost budget revenues, and lay the groundwork for sustainable development in the years ahead. To realise this goal, the Management Board of Dung Quat Economic Zone and Quang Ngai Industrial Zones has introduced numerous groundbreaking solutions with a strategic vision.

Specifically, continue to promote and complete planning work, focus on preparing, appraising and submitting for approval the two remaining subdivision planning projects under the Dung Quat Economic Zone Construction Planning Adjustment Project to ensure synchronisation with the Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

Along with that, focus on removing problems regarding compensation, site clearance, and resettlement; Prioritize creating a clean land fund to deploy industrial park infrastructure projects and attract investment. Accelerate investment progress in infrastructure of new industrial parks (Dung Quat Urban-Industrial Park, VSIP 2 Industrial Park); Review and classify slow implementation projects to focus on removing difficulties and obstacles.

Continued investment is required to complete infrastructure systems—including transportation, logistics, power supply, water supply, and wastewater treatment—both within and outside economic and industrial zones, thereby enhancing competitiveness in attracting investment.

Simultaneously, efforts must focus on innovating investment promotion activities by adopting a targeted approach; priority should be given to attracting high-tech, green industry, and supporting industry projects, as well as those offering high added value. Investors should be supported in workforce recruitment and training to meet the needs of projects within the Dung Quat Economic Zone and Quang Ngai’s industrial zones.

“The province needs to direct relevant departments, agencies, and localities to resolve obstacles regarding compensation, site clearance, and resettlement, while accelerating the creation of ‘clean’ land banks in industrial zones to facilitate investment attraction. Resources must be balanced and allocated for the construction of resettlement areas serving projects in the Dung Quat Economic Zone, particularly key projects. Furthermore, the province should expedite investment in and the upgrading of transport infrastructure connecting the Dung Quat Economic Zone with inter-regional routes, seaports, and logistics centers to boost competitiveness and the effectiveness of investment attraction,” proposed Luong Kim Son.