Binh Dinh (VNA) – Officials attendinga conference on August 20 underlined the need to promote connectivity amongcentral localities so as to create a driving force for economic growth of thewhole region.

The central region consists of 13 provinces andone city, stretching from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan. As part of it, the centralkey economic region comprises Da Nang city and the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue,Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Binh.

At the conference held in Binh Dinh province,Secretary of the Quang Nam provincial Party Committee Phan Viet Cuong said withenormous potential and advantages, the localities in the central key economicregion are aware of the importance of regional connectivity so as to optimiseadvantages of each of them with the ultimate goal of sharing long-terminterests and improving their stature.

To make connectivity policies effective, atfirst, it is necessary to perfect institutions and enhance their realisation,and this work should be piloted in the central key economic region first.

He said pending the building of a plan for thewhole region, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) should coordinatewith the central key economic region’s council to make plans on the arrangementof economic sectors and development fields in the region; the building andupgrade of local infrastructure, especially transport facilities; humanresources development; and climate change response.

The Government and the MPI need to consideradjusting the targets and size of economic zones, industrial parks and hi-techparks in the central key economic region, Cuong said, adding that they shouldalso weigh the delegation of power to economic zones’ management boards.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Binh Dinh provincialPeople’s Committee Ho Quoc Dung said to step up attracting investment, promotethe central region’s development and capitalise on local advantages, theGovernment needs to direct the early building of an overall plan for the regionin accordance with the Law on Planning. This plan needs to clarify orientationsfor the development of the central region in relation to the Central Highlandsregion and the East-West Economic Corridor.

The central key economic region holds a specialrole in terms of defence, security and socio-economic development of thecountry. It currently houses four coastal economic zones, four deep-water portsand four airports, which is favourable for industry, logistics, seaport andtourism services.

However, compared to the northern and southernkey economic regions, the central one is still lagging behind, Dung noted.

The official asked the Government to acceleratethe construction of the North-South Expressway, part of which will traverseQuang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, along with a coastal road connecting centrallocalities, so as to facilitate goods transportation and tourism.

He also proposed transport facilities be builtand upgraded to link coastal central localities with Central Highlandsprovinces and bring into full play their role as a gateway to the sea of theGreater Mekong Sub-region’s countries.

Echoing the view on the need to boost transportinfrastructure, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said his ministry hasdetermined the mechanisms for mobilising and using resources for localtransport infrastructure development. As a result, transport infrastructure hasbeen gradually improved, creating better connectivity for the region and thewhole country.

However, he also admitted a lack of expresswaysthrough the region, inter-connected roads among localities, as well as theconnectivity among different means of transport here. He called on the Governmentto remove bottlenecks in transport infrastructure development to fuel economicgrowth in the time ahead.

At the conference, Minister of Culture, Sportsand Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien also highlighted the need for tourismconnectivity to optimise advantages in this field of each locality. -VNA