HCM CITY TO TURN EXISTING IPS, EPZS INTO ECO-INDUSTRIAL, HIGH-TECH ZONES

The HCM City People’s Committee wants changes made to a proposal to convert industrial parks and export processing zones into eco-industrial and high-tech zones by 2025.

Earlier, the HCM City Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones Authority (HEPZA) had submitted the plan for the committee's approval with the aim of gradually weeding out labour-intensive firms and those using outdated technologies in Industrial Parks (IPs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs).

It has instructed HEPZA to clarify certain requirements related to investment in high technologies by businesses.

HEPZA should encourage enterprises in existing industrial zones to convert their businesses into eco-services and ecological urban areas, it said.

It needs to come up with solutions for moving enterprises from their current IPs to new ones after their land lease expires and do not want to convert their businesses, it said.

It also needs to identify lands on its borders with neighbouring provinces and in underdeveloped areas or near the city’s gateways for developing new industrial parks in future, it said.

HEPZA plans to pilot the programme at four IPs: Tân Thuận EPZ in District 7, Tân Bình IP in Tân Bình District, Hiệp Phước IP in Nhà Bè District, and Cát Lái IP in Thủ Đức City.

It also wants to build two new industrial zones in Bình Chánh District, the 320ha Lê Minh Xuân 2 Industrial Park and 670ha Phạm Văn Hai Industrial Park, to house clean, advanced and high-tech industries.

Recently, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in collaboration with the UN Industrial Development Organisation and the Management Board of IPs and EPZs, held a seminar in the city to discuss how to turn IPs and EPZs into eco-industrial parks (EIPs).

This is among the activities within the framework of the project on establishing EIPs in Việt Nam following the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), in which Hiệp Phước IP is selected to be the first in HCM City to pilot the model.

Speaking at the event, Phạm Thanh Trúc, deputy head of Management Board of IPs and EPZs in the city, said that after 30 years of construction and development, IPs and EPZs in the city have gained certain achievements, making positive contributions to the industrialisation and modernisation of the country. However, there remain certain limitations.

Sharing the same view, Nguyễn Trâm Anh, an expert from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, said that the limitations in the development of IPs today are the lack of linkages between businesses in the zone; inefficient use of resources; unsecured energy and water; and their negative impacts on the natural environment and living environment of near-by residents.

She affirmed that the trend of shifting from traditional IPs to EIPs is inevitable.

The city has 17 IPs, EPZs and high-tech parks covering a total area of more than 3,800 hectares. It targets having 23 ‘green’ high-tech EPZs and IPs with 6,000ha.

Source: VNS

Related News

BANKING / FINANCE / INSURANCE / TAX

VIETNAM’S CREDIT TOPS VND19.18 QUADRILLION, FLOWS INTO PRODUCTION SECTORS

Total outstanding loans in Vietnam’s banking system had reached over VND19.18 quadrillion in the year to March 31, up 3.18% against the end of 2025, with lending largely directed toward production and priority sectors, according to the State Bank of Vietnam. Data released at the central bank’s first-quarter press briefing on April 14 showed that several Government-backed lending programs have recorded notable disbursement progress. A credit package for the forestry and fisheries sectors has been expanded sharply, from VND15 trillion to VND185 trillion.

Apr 16, 2026

HOSPITALITY / TOURISM / ENTERTAINMENT

VNAT EYES 25 MILLION FOREIGN VISITORS IN 2026

In the first quarter of the year, international arrivals amounted to 6.7 million, up 12.4% from a year earlier and the highest level on record. Domestic travel reached an estimated 37 million trips, with total tourism revenue at around VND267 trillion. Global developments pose risks. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have driven up fuel prices, increasing transport and tourism service costs.

Apr 16, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

HCMC SET TO START WORK ON SEVEN MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Ho Chi Minh City plans to simultaneously break ground on seven major infrastructure projects worth a combined VND380 trillion on the occasion of Vietnam’s Reunification Day (April 30). The projects are highly expected to unlock public investment and fuel economic growth. To prepare for the simultaneous launch, relevant departments and authorities have worked to streamline administrative procedures while maintaining legal compliance, with the goal of meeting conditions for groundbreaking on the occasion of the national holiday.

Apr 16, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

VIETNAM GETS US$2.64 BILLION FROM SEAFOOD EXPORTS IN Q1

Vietnam’s seafood sector booked around US$927 million in export revenue in March, bringing the total in the first quarter of this year to US$2.64 billion, showed data from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). China was the primary export market in Q1. Other markets such as the U.S., Japan and South Korea imported less due to weakened consumer spending and stringent technical barriers.

Apr 16, 2026

HR / LABOUR/ EMPLOYMENT

VIETNAM TAPS AI TO CONNECT MILLIONS OF WORKERS WITH EMPLOYERS

Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs on April 14 launched a national job exchange at vieclam.gov.vn, a key digital platform designed to directly connect more than 53.6 million workers with nearly one million businesses. The platform goes beyond a conventional job portal, positioning itself as a nationwide data-integrated ecosystem. Its technological highlight is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically analyze and match job vacancies with workers’ skills and experience.

Apr 16, 2026

BANKING / FINANCE / INSURANCE / TAX

VIETNAM RAISES OVER VND80 TRILLION THROUGH G-BONDS IN Q1

The Vietnam State Treasury mobilized VND80.1 trillion through Government bond issues in the first quarter of 2026, fulfilling 73% of the quarterly plan and 16% of the annual target. This capital mobilization, unveiled by the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), underscores a strong start for the domestic sovereign debt market.

Apr 16, 2026