With the theme “New thinking, new breakthroughs, new values”, the conference – chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh – was attended by more than 600 delegates, who are leaders of many ministries, sectors, agencies, and localities, as well as representatives of business associations and domestic and international investors.

The province has set out a robust plan that will last until 2030 but has a vision to 2045

The conference announced the government’s plan to implement Resolution 154 on the action programme to implement Resolution 24. At the same time, participants discussed and proposed solutions to turn Vietnam’s southeast into a dynamic developmental region with high economic growth and one of the biggest driving forces of the whole country.

Resolution 24 mentioned a variety of contents that, if effectively implemented, will eventually create favourable conditions for Ba Ria-Vung Tau province to make breakthroughs in socioeconomic development.

Forming a free trade zone associated with seaports in Cai Mep Ha and developing Vung Tau city into a high-quality, world-class tourism centre are the two core issues of the resolution.

The resolution reaffirms the development of the province into a national marine economic centre, and an area with strong development of marine economic sector, seaports, logistics, oil and gas exploitation, petrochemicals, island tourism, and the farming and processing of aquatic products.

Resolution 24 has proposed specific solutions to focus on investing in improved infrastructure and urban areas. The province has determined many policies implemented under the resolution to directly affect infrastructure, economy, and urban areas in the next five years.

Forming a free trade zone

Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee, said, “The decision forms a free trade zone associated with seaports in Cai Mep Ha, aiming to create a special space and dynamics to promote the development of the southeast region, thereby playing the role of a locomotive pulling the development of the whole region and the country.”

According to Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee, to prepare for the formation of the Cai Mep Ha free trade zone, the province has actively implemented a number of tasks such as adding policies to develop the zone into the province’s development plan in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, and planning and implementing procedures to call for investment for Cai Mep Ha Logistics Centre, covering with an area of almost 1,690ha.

The province has completed the pre-feasibility study report and coordinated with central and local authorities to upgrade the inter-regional transport system within the region, especially one connecting Thi Vai-Cai Mep ports with Long Thanh International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City.

Developing Vung Tau

Ba Ria-Vung Tau boasts a long coastline and clear seawater, which is suitable for high-quality tourism development. It also features Con Dao islands, both a famous revolutionary historical relic and a forest/marine nature reserve.

Especially, the province is the end point of the coastal strip from the central to the southern areas, which is suitable for sea tourism development. With its geographical location adjacent to economic centres, the market of more than 18 million people has an income 1.5 times higher than the per capita level of the whole country and a fast-growing middle class.

Renowned international tourist resorts have already been established such as The Grand Ho Tram Strip, Six Senses Con Dao, The Imperial, Pullman, Marina Bay resort, Malibu, and various others. The province has been focusing on building a safe and high-quality tourism environment. As a result, Vung Tau city has twice been honoured as a clean tourism city, as voted by the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2020 and 2022.

To implement Resolution 24, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province will focus on implementing solutions and investing in completing the transport infrastructure system to strengthen the connection of tourism activities.

At the conference, as witnessed by Prime Minister Chinh and delegates, the chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee awarded 10 registration certificates for new ventures that will take place in the province.