DOI:

Abstract

"The Central Vietnam Key Economic Zone, with its strategically important geographical position, is considered as a zone of great potentials and advantages that will become a dynamic of socio-economic development of Central Vietnam and Western Highlands. This article analyzes its potentials and advantages and identifies barriers to the development of this economic zone, thereby suggesting measures to the exploit such potentials and advantages and remove barriers to the quick and sustainable development of the whole zone. The Central Vietnam Key Economic Zone (hereafter referred to as CVKEZ), established under PM Decision 1085/QĐ-TTg dated 12 Aug. 2008, consists of five administrative units: Thöøa Thieân-Hueá, Đà Nẵng, Quaûng Nam, Quaûng Ngaõi, and Bình Ñònh. Its area, 27,884 km2, accounts for 8.4% of the total area of Vietnam and its population of 6.5 million, accounts for 7% of the total population of Vietnam. It has a string of seven big cities: Hueá, Đà Nẵng, Hoäi An, Tam Kyø, Vaïn Töôøng, Quaûng Ngaõi and Quy Nhôn. Stretching along a coastal line of 609 km are four developing economic zones: Chaân Maây, Chu Lai (an open economic zone), Dung Quaát, and Nhôn Hoäi. Together with this string of industrial zones, export processing zones in this area have the advantage of being near several seaports. The system of national and international warehouses here is to be linked with international ports, and inter-regional and trans-national communications networks. This zone is also very important to national defense, orientation of socioeconomic development of Central Vietnam and Western Highlands, and to the socioeconomic development strategy of the whole country as well. This key economic zone includes marine-based economy associated with industry and services. This zone would develop a pivotal sub-zone that provides spaces for the development of marine-based economy, a coastal corridor for international economic free trade along the national route 1A, the national railway line and the system of seaports. In the development strategy up to 2025, CVKEZ would become the impetus for the socioeconomic development in Central Vietnam and Western Highlands. It is also the chief entrepoât point as well as the center for trade and processing facilities in the greater Mekong area and in the Asia-Pacific rim. "

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