A part of Phú Quốc Special Zone in An Giang Province. The proposal to recognise Phú Quốc as a Special Economic Zone is necessary in order to promote its potential. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

AN GIANG — The An Giang Provincial People’s Council has adopted the proposal for thr Government to recognise Phú Quốc Special Zone as a Special Economic Zone in its seventh session of the 11th term held on Friday.

The proposal is based on the Urban Development Law, recently passed by the 16th National Assembly at its First Extraordinary Session on August 24, and effective from the beginning of this month.

The plan will create conditions for Phú Quốc to better promote its potential and advantages, and to develop in a manner commensurate with the direction and expectations of the Government.

This is also a step to concretise the Party’s policy on developing the marine economy and tourism, and on reforming the governance model for an area with distinctive characteristics.

Phú Quốc has a strategic location in the south-western sea region, with outstanding advantages in tourism, services, the marine economy and international connectivity.

Therefore, the proposal to recognise Phú Quốc as a Special Economic Zone is necessary in order to promote the island's potential, mobilise resources for development, improve people’s living standards, ensure national defence, security and maritime and island sovereignty.

Alongside the opportunities, the proposal also assesses pressures relating to population, housing, infrastructure, the budget, natural resources, the environment and requirements for ensuring national defence and security, thereby proposing solutions for mobilising resources and achieving sustainable development.

The orientation and objective are to develop Phú Quốc island into an internationally competitive centre for services and marine ecotourism, linked with trade, logistics and the marine economy, and to improve the quality of life of its residents.

Trần Thị Thanh Hương, Chairwoman of the An Giang Provincial People’s Council, emphasised that the provincial People’s Council had unanimously adopted 30 resolutions in the fields of the economy, the budget, investment, land, culture, society and other matters within its authority.

These are important policy decisions that contribute to continuing to improve and unify the system of mechanisms and policies following the provincial merger, and to addressing urgent requirements in management and administration.

They also create a legal basis for allocating and using resources effectively, promoting investment and socio-economic development, ensuring social security and improving people’s living standards.

In particular, the adoption of the proposal to recognise Phú Quốc Special Zone as a Special Economic Zone is an important step in the process of completing the dossier for submission to the Government for consideration and decision.

It demonstrates the province’s proactivity in working towards building a new development model for Phú Quốc, commensurate with the potential, advantages and special position and role of the island.

The provincial People’s Committee is to urgently direct the reception of feedback, and the completion of the proposal and related documents. It should proactively coordinate with central ministries and agencies during the appraisal, explanation, supplementation and completion of the dossier, ensuring quality, feasibility and compliance with the conditions prescribed by regulations.

During this process, the province will continue to study and propose a model for the management apparatus and appropriate mechanisms and policies, creating conditions for Phú Quốc to achieve breakthrough development in the new period.

Chairwoman Hương also requested that the provincial People’s Committee direct agencies and localities to urgently implement the resolutions in accordance with regulations.

For resolutions on public investment, the budget and land, it is necessary to focus on immediately removing difficulties, and to accelerate the programmes and projects realisation.

Policies on social security, education, healthcare and other policies directly related to the people must be conducted in a unified manner, for the correct target groups, and in a timely and effective way. — VNS