Accelerating Comprehensive, High-Quality, and Sustainable Development in the Southeastern Region

​(News Portal – Dong Nai) - The master plan for the Southeastern Region for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, has officially been approved by the Prime Minister at the beginning of May. This plan serves as a crucial foundation to address bottlenecks, unlock resources, and propel the Southeastern Region towards robust development. 

Bach Dang 2 Bridge connecting Dong Nai Province with Binh Duong Province has been completed and is expected to be operational in September 2024. 

Unlocking Resources for Development
The Southeastern Region holds a particularly important position and role in the socio-economic development, national defense, security, and foreign affairs of the country. Over the years, with its outstanding potentials and advantages, the Southeastern Region has always been a leading hub of innovation, dynamism, and creativity in the country; it is the economic hub and the largest center for industrial, tourism, and service development nationwide.

In the master plan for the Southeastern Region for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the goal is set that by 2030, the Southeastern Region will become a civilized and modern region with developed industries, surpassing the high-income threshold, leading the country in both material and spiritual life of its people; it will be the largest growth engine in the country, developing dynamically with a high growth rate; a hub for science and technology, innovation, high-tech industries, logistics, and an internationally competitive financial center in the region.

Additionally, the Southeastern Region will also lead in innovating growth models, digital transformation, and developing cultural, social, educational, training, and healthcare sectors; promoting green economy, low carbon emissions, and climate change adaptation; rapidly developing a system of green, smart, and modern urban areas. It will be the forefront in digital economy and digital society, an economic, financial, commercial, cultural, educational, scientific, and technological center of the country; an international financial center, home to international financial institutions and major global economic groups; holding a prominent position in Southeast Asia and on par with major cities in Asia.

At the 3rd Conference of the Southeastern Region Coordination Council, announcing the master plan for the Southeastern Region for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, held in Tay Ninh Province on May 5, the leadership of the Ministry of Planning and Investment stated that the regional plan aims for an average GRDP growth rate of about 8-9% per year during the 2021-2030 period, with Ho Chi Minh City growing at about 8.5-9% per year. The average GRDP per capita at current prices is expected to reach about VND 380-420 million, equivalent to USD 14,500-16,000; aiming for the digital economy to account for about 35-40% of the GRDP...

At this conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also emphasized that to effectively implement the Southeastern Region plan in the coming period, the Ministry of Planning and Investment should take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to urgently develop a regional implementation plan. The focus should be on restructuring the economy towards modernization, prioritizing the development of sectors and fields with strengths, developing deep industrial sectors, and rapidly growing high value-added service industries, regional strengths, and Ho Chi Minh City's international financial center. Priority should be given to investing in key projects with direct impacts on socio-economic development, with significant spillover effects, international connectivity, inter-regional and maritime orientation, alongside ongoing projects like new transport infrastructure such as the Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh expressway, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway, and rail and waterway infrastructure. Focus should be on developing human resources, attracting talent, promoting innovation, particularly in semiconductor, research, and technology application sectors.
Synchronized Planning
As a locality situated at the center of the Southeastern Region, Dong Nai Province's master plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, is also being finalized by the provincial authorities to submit to the Prime Minister for approval. Therefore, immediately after the master plan for the Southeastern Region for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, was approved, Dong Nai has been reviewing and updating to ensure synchronization across planning levels.

According to Acting Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Tan Duc, the Southeastern Region master plan has been thoroughly studied, proposing 7 development directions and 6 implementation solutions. Dong Nai must be more determined, make greater efforts, and implement the tasks and solutions set out in a synchronized, decisive, and effective manner, joining hands with the remaining four provinces and cities to continuously uphold the leading role in socio-economic development in the new era.

Therefore, departments, sectors, and localities in the province must clearly define their functions, review the planning for synchronization, and avoid conflicts of interest. They should actively provide advice and propose solutions to mobilize resources and effectively realize the plan, affirming Dong Nai's important position in the region. "The principle is to comply with the regional master plan, any indicators of each sector or locality that are not aligned must be adjusted and updated for synchronization and unification towards the common development goal," Acting Chairman Vo Tan Duc requested.

For Dong Nai Province, the Southeastern Region master plan has also identified it as a regional transport hub with many development advantages in the coming period. With its central position in the region, all connecting transport routes pass through the province, having strategic significance for the entire region, as the only route to Long Thanh International Airport and Cai Mep Port. "Developing the expressway and logistics systems is a very important issue currently. Dong Nai Province must strive to form an urban area in the space outside Long Thanh Airport to maximize service benefits for the locality," emphasized Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Hong Linh.​

Therefore, Secretary Nguyen Hong Linh also requested that during the process of finalizing the provincial plan, attention must be paid to calculating and meeting the two most important solutions determining local development: capital and human resource quality. The development goals of the province must be on par with or higher than the region as stated in the regional plan, not lower.