Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (second, right) chairs the working session on March 11 (Photo: VNA) Khanh Hoa (VNA) – Officials of the Government and the southern central province of Khanh Hoa looked into a plan on building the Special Administrative-Economic Zone (SAEZ) of Bac Van Phong (Northern Van Phong) on March 11.
The working session in Nha Trang city also discussed the making of draft laws on special administrative-economic units. It was an activity to implement the Government’s Resolution No. 103/NQ-CP, dated December 5, 2016, on the formation of the special administrative-economic units of Van Don (northern Quang Ninh province), Phu Quoc (southern Kien Giang province), and Bac Van Phong (Khanh Hoa).
Accordingly, the Bac Van Phong SAEZ will be located in the north of the Van Phong Economic Zone and have an expected area of around 66,000ha.
The People’s Committees of Quang Ninh, Kien Giang, and Khanh Hoa were ordered to work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and relevant agencies to complete the SAEZ plans. They also have to propose specific mechanisms and policies for the respective zones to authorised agencies so as to make a draft law for each zone.
At the session, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh stressed that the SAEZs will be established by the National Assembly and directly subordinate to the Government. He asked Khanh Hoa’s authorities to clarify the scale and organisation of an administration needed for the Bac Van Phong SAEZ so that it will suit the zone’s development orientations.
The province also needs to continue fine-tuning mechanisms and policies necessary for optimising the Bac Van Phong SAEZ’s particular advantages, he added.
Chairman of the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee Le Duc Vinh said the Bac Van Phong SAEZ should become an international centre of seaport, financial, tourism, medical and educational services that meet global standards.
He suggested a common law be designed for the three SAEZs of Van Don, Phu Quoc, and Bac Van Phong and also include specific mechanisms for each zone as recommended by the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
He said the draft law should be part of the lawmaking plan for 2017 and submitted to the National Assembly for approval in 2018.
The Van Phong Economic Zone covers an area of 150,000ha, including 70,000ha of land and 80,000ha of water surface, in Van Ninh district and Ninh Hoa township. It is a multi-sectoral economic zone with a designed focus on container and petroleum transit services, oil refining, and petrochemistry.
It has attracted 145 investment projects with a total registered capital of 1.47 billion USD. Seventy-nine projects with an implemented capital of 600 million USD have been operational.-VNA
VNA
