In an effort to realize the ambition of becoming a leading regional maritime economic center, Hai Phong City is entering a historical phase with the synchronized implementation of specific mechanisms and policies. The focus of this journey is the transition and upgrade from Resolution No. 35/2021/QH15 to the National Assembly's Resolution No. 226/2025/QH15. To materialize this groundbreaking "legal framework," on August 18, 2025, the City People's Committee issued Plan No. 203/KH-UBND, defining a detailed roadmap to maximize potential and advantages while removing bottlenecks for sustainable development during the 2026–2030 period.
From the Foundation of Resolution 35 to the Turning Point of Resolution 226
Previously, Resolution 35/2021 created important prerequisites for Hai Phong regarding financial management, budget, land, and planning. However, to meet development requirements in the new situation, Resolution 226/2025 was born as a comprehensive upgrade. The most distinct differences lie in the scale and depth of the policies:
- Finance: The city's outstanding debt limit was raised from 60% to 120% of the decentralized budget revenue.
- Green Economy: For the first time, Hai Phong is piloting a carbon credit exchange and offset mechanism to serve climate change response goals.
- Investment Authority: The city is granted the right to approve investment policies for seaport projects with capital of 2,300 billion VND or more, a superior power compared to the previous period.
Plan 203: A "Compass" for Decisive Action
According to Plan No. 203/KH-UBND, the City People's Committee requires the entire political system to implement Resolution 226 in a serious, synchronized, and effective manner. The core goal is to concretize specific mechanisms into specialized resolutions and legal documents, creating a complete and feasible legal corridor for operation.
The city is thoroughly grasping the principle of "clear person, clear task, clear time, clear responsibility, clear product, and clear authority," strictly preventing overlaps or lax management during implementation. Specifically, city leaders emphasized that the construction of mechanisms must be linked to resource balancing capabilities and suitable for local realities.
Specific Implementation Roadmap: Speed and Efficiency
The city has established an urgent timetable to bring policies to life:
- Propaganda Work: Completing the study and grasping of Resolution 226 content at the city level in August 2025 and at the commune level in September 2025.
- Drafting Guidelines: (1) Guidelines for the approval process of large-scale seaport investments and determining the sale price of old apartments were completed in August 2025; (2) Resolutions on fees, charges, and the capital loan plan have been implemented in September 2025; (3) Regulations on using revenue from carbon credit transactions for climate change response was finalized in December 2025.
Four Breakthrough Pillars in the New Mechanism
- Establishment of the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) - A Global Driver: This is a historic new feature of Resolution 226. The Hai Phong FTZ is established in association with the Đình Vũ – Cát Hải Economic Zone and southern coastal areas. Here, investors will enjoy a preferential corporate income tax rate of 10% for 30 years, a 4-year tax exemption, and a 50% reduction for the following 9 years. Regarding personnel, foreign experts and scientists working in the FTZ are exempt from visas and granted temporary residence cards for up to 10 years. The establishment plan and state management regulations for this area were finalized by the Department of Finance and the Economic Zone Authority in Q3/2025.
- Management of Science, Technology, and Innovation: The city focuses on attracting investment in core technology industries such as semiconductor circuits and artificial intelligence (AI). Businesses operating in this field will be exempt from income tax for 5 years. Specifically, a controlled testing mechanism (Sandbox) allows the implementation of new technologies not yet regulated by law for a maximum of 3 years. The city is also establishing a Venture Capital Fund to support creative startup projects.
- Management of Investment, Land, and Planning: Resolution 226 allows the city to recover land for logistics center projects over 50ha, industrial zones over 100ha, and projects within the FTZ. This decentralization significantly shortens project preparation time. The City People's Committee also has the right to decide on converting the use of paddy land under 500ha and production forest land under 1,000ha.
- Income Policy and Talent Attraction: To create motivation for the implementation team, the city continues to apply an additional income mechanism of no more than 8 times the salary grade for officials and civil servants. Specifically, for experts, scientists, and individuals with special talents, the income payment level will be decided by the City People's Council to ensure competitiveness and attract high-quality resources for development.
Strict Supervision and Accountability
To ensure that specific mechanisms are not exploited and achieve the desired effect, Plan 203 establishes a rigorous monitoring process. The Department of Finance is assigned as the focal point, synthesizing quarterly reports on implementation results for the City Party Committee's Standing Board. Inspection and examination activities will be conducted regularly to promptly detect obstacles and inadequacies for recommending adjustments suitable for reality.
The city also requests media and press agencies to promote the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms to widely disseminate these preferential policies to the business community and the public, creating high social consensus.
The implementation of two generations of specific mechanisms, especially the acceleration with Resolution 226 and Plan 203, affirms Hai Phong's strong political determination. With internationally competitive incentives regarding taxes, procedures, and autonomy, Hai Phong is not only building a "policy laboratory" for the whole country but is also confidently entering the position of a modern, civilized, and sustainable maritime megacity on the world map.