Delegates attending the Workshop. (Photo: Doan Manh Duong/VNA)
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On December 1st, the Department of Import and Export under the Ministry of Industry and Trade organized a workshop on “Free Trade Zones: Opportunities and Solutions for Actualization” at Ho Tram Resort in Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.
The event saw the participation of representatives from government agencies, associations, schools, institutes, international organizations in Vietnam, corporations, and the business community in the fields of logistics and import-export.
According to Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Department of Import and Export, the workshop was held within the framework of the Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024, with the plenary session scheduled for December 2nd at the same location, under the attendance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The workshop aimed to facilitate in-depth discussions among delegates regarding topics related to the forum’s theme, “Free Trade Zones: Breakthrough Solutions to Promote Logistics Growth.”
 Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Department of Import and Export (Photo: Doan Manh Duong/VNA)
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At the workshop, delegates shared the view that in the context of global economic integration, free trade zones have become an effective model to boost import-export activities and develop logistics.
Free trade zones offer a liberal mechanism, enabling businesses to benefit from tax exemption and reduction policies, as well as reduced administrative procedural barriers.
This is particularly important for Vietnam, an economy heavily reliant on exports, which is expanding its markets through free trade agreements (FTAs) with multiple major partners.
The delegates focused their discussions on assessing the current state of logistics in Vietnam and identifying opportunities, challenges, and solutions. They also shared experiences and proposals based on the practical needs of the logistics business community, with the aim of making recommendations to the competent authorities for improving policies and mechanisms for the development of free trade zones in Vietnam.
Regarding Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, Resolution 24 of the Political Bureau has assigned the locality the task of “Forming a free trade zone associated with the seaport in the Cai Mep Ha area… continuing to develop and modernize the Cai Mep- Thi Vai international transit port into a large-scale regional and international transit port.”
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Le Ngoc Khanh, said that through analyzing the potential and advantages for building and developing a free trade zone associated with the seaport in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, the province believes it has met the necessary conditions to establish a free trade zone in the Cai Mep Ha area.
The province has identified the task of studying and forming a free trade zone associated with the seaport in the Cai Mep Ha area as a key political task for the next phase.
The benefits of free trade zones for economic development in general and logistics services in particular have been proven by global practices. However, up to now, Vietnam has not had any free trade zones besides the model of Da Nang city, which has been recently approved by the National Assembly for implementation on a pilot basis.
Currently, Vietnam’s legal system lacks regulations on procedures, competence to decide on investment policies, establishment decisions, management models, operating mechanisms, and management decentralization in free trade zones to ensure uniform application./.
Doan Manh Duong
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