Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh city Party Committee Dinh La Thang speaking at the event. (Photo: CPV)
The event was attended by leaders of Ministries, Departments and eight southern localities: Ho Chi Minh city, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An and Tien Giang.
Mr. Dinh La Thang said that the southern key economic region, with the kernel being Ho Chi Minh city, has the conditions and advantages to lead the country’s industrialization and modernization cause. Thus, regional connection, especially transport connections, is very important. However, the connections are now limited and profits go to each locality, which curbs the strength of association necessary to meet the development requirement of the region.
He asked that projects should be implemented concretely after the conference, such as Ho Chi Minh city and Tay Ninh upgrading national highway 22 and carrying out Ho Chi Minh city - Moc Bai expressway, Binh Duong implementing national highway 13 and Long An carrying out national highway 50 with Tien Giang.
Representatives of Binh Duong, Long An, Tien Giang, Binh Phuoc and Ba Ria - Vung Tau also proposed developing belt roads, heightening the clearance of bridges over Dong Nai and Sai Gon rivers, and upgrading some provincial roads into national roads to create connections among the localities, and between them and Ho Chi Minh city.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Secretary of the Ministry's Party Committee, Nguyen Ngoc Dong, said that transport infrastructure development in the region has been given much importance. Some projects showed regional connection, such as Ho Chi Minh city-Long Thanh- Dau Giay, Ho Chi Minh city-Trung Luong express roads and routes under construction, Tan Son Nhat International Airport upgrade and Cai Mep-Thi Vai investment.
However, the implementation of the projects were much slower than the scheme, affecting regional transport connections in recent time./.