Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Hai Phong City to 2030, with a vision to 2045, serves as a strategic foundation for orienting the growth of this port city across all sectors. To successfully implement this resolution, Hai Phong not only needs the united determination and concerted efforts of its entire political system but also strong support from the central government through breakthrough mechanisms and policies, as well as close cooperation from ministries, agencies, and localities.
Seizing Opportunities and Maximizing Support
Resolution No. 45 outlines the goal of transforming Hai Phong into a leading city in Vietnam’s industrialization and modernization drive; a key growth engine for both the Northern region and the entire nation; and a city with a modern, smart, and sustainable industrial base. To translate this vision into action, in 2021, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 35/2021/QH15, piloting a number of special mechanisms and policies for Hai Phong. These include five key mechanisms concerning public finance and state budget management, fees and charges, land management, planning management, and income regulation for civil servants. This legal framework is an essential tool for Hai Phong to proactively harness its advantages and resources to promote socioeconomic development, boost state revenue, and further solidify its role as a driving force in the Red River Delta and the Hanoi–Hai Phong–Quang Ninh growth triangle.
Central ministries and agencies have also worked closely with Hai Phong to develop and propose Government Resolution No. 108/2019 on an action plan for implementing Resolution No. 45, identifying 10 key tasks and 42 specific measures for the city’s development. In 2023, the Prime Minister approved the adjustment of Hai Phong’s Master Plan to 2040, with a vision to 2050, and the City Planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, stated that based on these guiding documents, the city has proactively utilized favorable mechanisms and policies, mobilized resources, and actively formulated and implemented major infrastructure programs and investment projects. These efforts have driven socioeconomic development and yielded important outcomes. The city’s economy has seen robust progress in many areas, maintaining its position as the second-largest economy in the Red River Delta after Hanoi. Hai Phong has recorded double-digit GRDP growth for ten consecutive years and is among the localities with the highest labor productivity in the country. Its economic structure has shifted toward modern industry, which is now the main growth driver, solidifying the city’s position as a major industrial hub. Infrastructure development, particularly in transport, has been prioritized, making Hai Phong a key logistics gateway to the sea for the northern region. Urban development has also gained momentum, with expanded urban space and increased investment in social and worker housing.
Alongside efforts to restructure district- and commune-level administrative units during 2023–2025, Hai Phong is establishing Thuy Nguyen City under Hai Phong, as well as An Duong District. In 2024, the city finalized its Urban Government Organization Scheme, which was approved by the National Assembly at its 8th session. These will take effect from January 1, 2025, further expanding the city’s development space—particularly in the northern, eastern, and southeastern directions. The streamlined urban government apparatus will operate more efficiently and transparently, improving public services and governance, well-suited to a dynamic and fast-growing city like Hai Phong.
Ready to Embrace the “New Wind”
After five years of implementing Resolution No. 45 and three years under Resolution No. 35, the Hai Phong Party Committee noted that the pilot mechanisms have enhanced the city’s autonomy in economic management and resource mobilization. However, these policies have yet to create strong breakthroughs or deliver high-impact drivers of development. According to Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Trần Quang Phương, some high-impact, innovative policies outlined in Resolution 45—such as establishing a Free Trade Zone and developing a port authority model—have not yet been implemented or are still being piloted in other localities. Both the National Assembly and the Government are aware of this gap. Thus, the city is reviewing and proposing additional breakthrough mechanisms better aligned with Hai Phong’s future development needs.
Recognizing that special policies are crucial levers for unlocking Hai Phong’s full potential and capitalizing on development opportunities swiftly and effectively, the city has reviewed three years of Resolution 35’s implementation and is proposing a new replacement resolution. According to Party Secretary Lê Tiến Châu, while Resolution 35 contains only five special mechanisms, the proposed new resolution will include 61 mechanisms—many of which are currently applied to other localities and some uniquely tailored to Hai Phong’s specific context. These include permission to establish a Free Trade Zone, pilot a port authority model, and ensure policy consistency, legal feasibility, and alignment with international integration. “We are fully aware that Hai Phong’s development is firstly for the city itself, but also contributes to the national development,” Secretary Châu emphasized during a discussion at the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly. “With the support of National Assembly deputies, Hai Phong will gain a new source of energy and momentum for sustainable development through a robust policy framework.”
If Hai Phong is likened to a ship, then the “Red Flamboyant Flower” ship is now raising its sails, preparing to harness the favorable “new winds” of special mechanisms and policies to head out to sea and grow. This is not only a political mission but also a shared aspiration of both the Central Government and Hai Phong—to see the Port City break through and fulfill its role as a dynamic growth engine for the Northern region and the nation.