HCM City (VNA) – The National Assembly’s adoption of Resolution No. 260/2025/QH amending and supplementing a number of articles of Resolution 98/2023/QH15 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for Ho Chi Minh City’s development, is expected to create new drivers for growth.
The resolution provides the key legal framework for advancing the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone (FTZ), attracting strategic investors and supporting economic expansion across the southern key economic region.
Unlocking resources, preparing the groundwork
Under the master plan, the FTZ covers more than 3,764 hectares in Tan Phuoc ward. It is designed as a “super seaport city”, integrating transport, logistics, hi-tech industry and financial services.
The project comprises three main functional areas. The first, spanning more than 1,735 hectares, is a multimodal transport hub including container ports, inland waterways and the planned Cai Mep Ha railway terminal on the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau line. The second, covering over 1,178 hectares, focuses on logistics warehousing and industry. The third area, of more than 850 hectares, is designated for hi-tech industry, urban services and green space, including land reserved for forest carbon-credit schemes.
Huynh Trung Son, Chairman of Tan Phuoc ward People’s Committee, said local authorities have reviewed land resources and strengthened oversight to ensure accurate data for implementation while protecting legitimate land-use rights. Meetings have also been held with local businesses to help them prepare for opportunities arising from the free trade zone.
The area already hosts four seaports and four inland ports. Alongside the project now before the municipal People’s Council, preparations are under way in policy development and human-resource planning. Training institutions are being encouraged to align teaching programmes with skills needs within the zone.
Institutional ‘lever’ for strategic investment
A key attraction for investors lies in the 36 special policy mechanisms proposed for Cai Mep Ha, including 19 unprecedented measures such as the use of English in official transactions, a genuine one-stop administrative mechanism, investment-credit incentives and long-term visas for senior personnel.
The municipal Department of Industry and Trade said these measures are essential to create a competitive legal environment comparable with next-generation free trade zones worldwide, enabling the attraction of leading global investors and strengthening Vietnam’s role in the global economy.
Experts say the project could help resolve existing administrative and infrastructure bottlenecks in HCM City. Dr Tran Quang Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics and Management, said the one-stop model would reduce costs and accelerate project approvals, enhancing competitiveness with regional hubs such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Do Thien Anh Tuan, an economic and finance expert emphasised four priorities for success: carefully planned zoning aligned with investor needs; synchronous infrastructure investment, with the State playing a key role in shared facilities; development of high-quality human resources; and completion of the local legal framework.
He stressed the need to swiftly concretise the decentralised powers granted by the central Government to create legal certainty for investors.
According to the economist, the special mechanisms within the Cai Mep Ha FTZ will also enable the application of digital technology from licensing to operational monitoring. This will transform the area into a modern port city, integrating multimodal transport infrastructure by sea, road and air via Long Thanh International Airport, creating a logistics gateway for the southern key economic region./.
