Cooperation for a common goal

 In fact, the development policy of the Southeast region has been clearly stated in Resolution 24 with many positive points. However, in the coming time, it is necessary to take the initiative of localities in increasing linkages, and propose the Central Government to create favorable conditions for the region through open mechanisms.

Enterprises in Binh Duong and provinces in the Southeast region attend the connection and cooperation program that took place in Binh Phuoc.

 Motivate innovation

Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, emphasized that this conference summarizing the development cooperation program is to implement Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of Politburo on socio-economic development and defense and security assurance in the Southeast region to 2030, with a vision to 2045. In the coming time, in order to make regional linkage more effective, factors such as organization, mechanism, resources, and unifying views of localities in the region are needed.

Nguyen Van Nen also pointed out the limitations of localities in the region. “Leaders of provinces in the Southeast region have not paid due attention and directed closely the implementation of the cooperation program, leading to difficulties in linking in some fields for a long time. Socio-economic cooperation must be comprehensive, but it is spread across too many industries and fields, not identifying which areas are the focus or breakthroughs, leading to the failure to take advantage of the strengths of each locality,” said Nguyen Van Nen.

According to Nguyen Van Nen, each locality, especially Ho Chi Minh City, must actively overcome themselves, have a sense of responsibility for each other, and have no space limitations. Regional linkage is a common responsibility, for the benefit and development of the region need to act together. Ho Chi Minh City and the Ministry of Planning and Investment quickly completed outstanding mechanisms not only for the city but also in the Southeast region to submit to the National Assembly. Provincial People's Committees are preparing to complete operational regulations and strengthen digital data connections to solve problems and difficulties. The regional council needs to have an operating mechanism and the establishment of a regional problem-solving fund.

Deputy Minister Tran Duy Dong affirmed: “The Ministry of Planning and Investment is preparing to submit to the Prime Minister the establishment of a Regional Council, which will be chaired by a Deputy Prime Minister, coordinate the region to link eight important areas. Therefore, it is proposed that Ho Chi Minh City and localities in the Southeast region actively coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other ministries and branches to effectively implement activities of the Regional Council after being approved by the Prime Minister”.

Establishment of infrastructure development fund

Nguyen Van Nen also said that among the seven proposed areas, transport infrastructure is very important, infrastructure goes first, businesses follow. The region needs to build a transport infrastructure development fund for road investment, inter-regional projects, connection from localities to Ho Chi Minh City, and linking provinces and cities in the region. Each locality should have a Vice Chairman of the People's Committee as a permanent member of the council to promote regional linkage. Leaders of the provinces also agreed that the Southeast must have funds to develop connected transport system.

Sharing the same opinion, Vo Van Minh, Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee, said that the establishment of the fund will partly help the region invest in infrastructure when the allocation from the central government cannot keep up with the development speed of the region. "The fund can be pooled from local and central budgets, loans, socialization...", Vo Van Minh proposed. Nguyen Thi Hoang, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee, suggested that more investment resources from the Central government for localities in the region less than 20% of the total investment capital of the country is also an obstacle to building infrastructure.

Present at the conference, Huynh Thanh Chung, Chairman, General Director of Sikico Binh Phuoc Joint Stock Company, said that the Southeast economic region is very dynamic, Ho Chi Minh City has a core role and neighboring provinces are satellites, contributing to the region's socio-economic development. When localities and businesses connect with each other, strong links will create a large space to develop together, worthy of the role of the economic locomotive of the whole country.

Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, also suggested that provinces and businesses in the process of cooperation and development must create a common economic space for the growth of the whole region and of Ho Chi Minh City.  The cooperation needs to have a focus, priority on a few key areas of each locality, businesses have advantages to create a favorable environment and premise for the common development of the whole region.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai: Ho Chi Minh City has actively developed a cooperation agreement with the Southeast region, including seven areas: planning work; development coordination mechanism; supply - demand connection, investment - trade promotion; traffic connection, industrial infrastructure, service infrastructure; environment, adaptation to climate change; education, health care, human resource training; science and technology, digital transformation. In addition, there are bilateral cooperation contents between Ho Chi Minh City and each province in the Southeast region.

 Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee Vo Van Minh: The Central government should soon promulgate mechanisms and policies to support the region to soon complete multi-modal connectivity, including road, waterway and railway to support freight and passenger transport; especially giving priority to new connection by urban railway from Binh Duong to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Son Nhat airport by extending the central railway network of Ho Chi Minh City to the whole region. Thereby expanding the development space of human resources, commercial services, tourism, science and technology...

Reported by Tieu My - Translated by Ngoc Huynh