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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính surveys the beach reclamation project for the development of the Đà Nẵng FTZ. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
ĐÀ NẴNG — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has been seeing first hand the site of what will be Việt Nam's first Free Trade Zone.
The Prime Minister and a Government delegation were in Đà Nẵng on Saturday, inspecting several projects and socio-economic facilities in the city, including the zone site.
Accompanying PM Chính were Deputy PM Nguyễn Hòa Bình, leaders of ministries, central agencies and Đà Nẵng city officials.
One of the first inspections was the Đà Nẵng Free Trade Zone, which is planned to be Việt Nam's first Free Trade Zone (FTZ).
The FTZ is a functional area with a defined geographical boundary, established to pilot mechanisms and policies aimed at attracting high-quality investment, finance, trade, tourism and services.
The site is a reclaimed sea area which will become the commercial service zone within the Đà Nẵng Free Trade Zone, located along Nguyễn Tất Thành Road in Thanh Khê District, with an area of approximately 420 hectares.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính agreed to consider the option of sea reclamation for constructing the free trade zone, to save time and costs compared to land-based construction, while maximising marine development space. He requested consultation of international models that are suitable for Đà Nẵng and Việt Nam.
The Prime Minister required Đà Nẵng to continue researching and calculating options for land reclamation material usage, to clearly define the function of this free trade zone in accordance with the space, landscape and natural and social conditions of the area. He also noted that the free trade zone should be developed solely for business, trade, service and tourism purposes, without any residential real estate.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister surveyed the site for a 90-hectare free trade zone at the Bà Nà-Suối Mơ tourist area in Hòa Vang District. He instructed Đà Nẵng to review the commercial service development planning for the area, to clearly define its function and ensure it is integrated with other free trade zones, including soft and hard connections, management connections and the overall socio-economic development of the city, ensuring no conflicts.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính assigns tasks to the construction units of the Liên Chiểu port project. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
Development of Liên Chiểu Port for multi-purpose use
On the same morning, the Prime Minister and the delegation inspected the shared infrastructure and coastal road linking Liên Chiểu Port.
According to the master plan for the development of Việt Nam's seaports, especially the detailed plan approved by the Đà Nẵng People's Committee, Liên Chiểu Port will cover an area of 450 hectares, including container terminals, general cargo terminals, 1,200 metres of inland waterway berth and six liquid and gas berths, with a capacity of 50 million tonnes per year by 2050.
During the field inspection and presentation of gifts to the teams working on the coastal road, the Prime Minister praised Đà Nẵng and the ministries for their efforts. He noted that, just over a year after his previous inspection and direction, the shared infrastructure of Liên Chiểu Port and the coastal road has been established and is continuing to be actively developed.
The Prime Minister directed that Liên Chiểu Port be developed as a multi-purpose, multi-sector, modern port, optimising its geographical advantages and Đà Nẵng's development potential. He requested Đà Nẵng and the ministries to urgently coordinate and complete procedures to select capable investors for the port construction and port operation, ensuring transparency and legal compliance. The goal is to make the port operational in tandem with the shared infrastructure.
He instructed Đà Nẵng to mobilise the entire political system, local organisations, enterprises and the armed forces to participate in construction and resettlement efforts to expedite the project's completion.
Agreeing to build a resettlement urban area for households giving land for the Liên Chiểu Port project, the Prime Minister required the resettlement to be in line with the overall planning and to provide employment and livelihoods for residents to ensure they have a better life than before.
Inspecting the construction of the road connecting Liên Chiểu Port with the North-South Expressway, the Prime Minister commended Đà Nẵng for effectively implementing his directives regarding the construction of this connecting road. The project has achieved 60 per cent completion in just one year and he urged contractors to accelerate progress to complete the infrastructure and attract investor confidence.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính presents gifts to workers involved in the construction and land clearance for the Hòa Liên - Túy Loan Expressway. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
Completion of Hòa Liên – Túy Loan Expressway by August 2025
The Prime Minister and the delegation also inspected the construction of the Hòa Liên – Túy Loan Expressway, a more than 11-kilometre stretch of the North-South Expressway through Hoà Vang District in Đà Nẵng. The project, which began in September 2023, is expected to be completed by December 2025.
After inspecting and presenting gifts to the construction teams, the Prime Minister praised their efforts, noting their dedication to working through challenging conditions. He also commended Đà Nẵng for mobilising the entire political system for land clearance, ensuring legal rights and benefits for displaced residents.
The Prime Minister urged Đà Nẵng to complete land clearance by September 2024 and for construction units to accelerate work to finish the expressway before August 30, 2025, in celebration of the 80th National Day and the upcoming Party Congress, aiming for 3,000 kilometres of expressways nationwide by the end of 2025, as outlined in the Party's 13th Congress resolution.
This time, the Prime Minister inspected the interchange at the beginning of the Đà Nẵng – Quảng Ngãi Expressway and the Hòa Liên – Túy Loan Expressway, with National Route 14B in Hòa Vang District. After reviewing the project, the Prime Minister agreed to invest in this interchange to enhance transport links between the expressway and National Route 14B, which connects Đà Nẵng, the Central Region and the Central Highlands. He requested that the interchange be built at a different level from the expressway, with Central Government support covering 50 per cent of the cost and completion required by September 30, 2025.
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| PM Chính with students of Hy Vọng School in Đà Nẵng. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
School for orphaned children of COVID victims fosters hope
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Chính and the delegation visited the Hy Vọng (Hope) School in Đà Nẵng. This boarding school, invested in and built by FPT Group, accommodates children who lost their parents in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Established in September 2021, the school has seen six enrolment periods with over 300 students from 43 provinces and 13 ethnic groups across the country. Hope School is the only place in Việt Nam to receive a prestigious global award for sustainable development with a nomination for 'Most Impressive Global Community Activity' at the global CSR and ESG awards. The school’s students have also won numerous national and city-level academic awards.
During the visit, the Prime Minister presented gifts and talked with the teachers and students of Hy Vọng. He expressed hope that it will continue to uphold and enhance this legacy.
The Prime Minister praised FPT Group for its philosophy of “spreading hope through hope - reciprocating love with love” and its commitment to social welfare while maintaining effective business operations.
Congratulating the school on its achievements over the years and the upcoming 2024-25 school year, the Prime Minister encouraged teachers to show love and care for students as if they were their own children. He also requested FPT to continue offering comprehensive education and focus on emerging fields, particularly those where FPT has strengths and to continue supporting and educating students for their holistic development.
Affirming the Government's commitment to prioritising education and ensuring no one is left behind, the Prime Minister expressed hope that Hy Vọng's students will strive to excel academically and personally, contributing to their community and country. — VNS
