Planned construction locations of 4 free trade zones in Ho Chi Minh City

The Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City has just issued a document on the implementation of free trade zone research projects in the area.

After expanding the administrative boundaries, according to the planning, Ho Chi Minh City has 4 free trade zones, including: Can Gio area (scale of 1,000 - 2,000 hectares), Cai Mep Ha area associated with the seaport (belonging to the old Ba Ria - Vung Tau ), Binh An area, Bau Bang area.

Regarding the free trade zone associated with the seaport in Cai Mep Ha area (now Tan Phuoc ward and Tan Hai ward), the project has a scale of 3,764 hectares, divided into 3 functional areas and 8 sub-areas. Regarding progress, on May 21, the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (old) submitted to the Government a request for appraisal and approval of the research project. To date, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has provided written comments.

Can Gio Free Trade Zone was approved in the old Ho Chi Minh City Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050 and the Project to adjust the city's general planning to 2040, vision to 2060. The project has a scale of about 1,000 - 2,000 hectares, associated with Can Gio international transit port and Ganh Rai bay. Currently, the Department of Industry and Trade is advising the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to complete the project research team.

An Binh Free Trade Zone is planned at the location connected to An Binh railway station (old Di An city), located on the Ho Chi Minh City - Loc Ninh railway line, the section from An Binh terminal station to Bau Bang station is 53.63 km long. This line helps connect Bau Bang station through the cargo centers of Binh Duong province (old) to Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water port cluster and to Moc Bai border gate (Tay Ninh province).

Bau Bang Free Trade Zone has been included in the Binh Duong Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, with a location on the Ho Chi Minh City - Loc Ninh railway line. However, this project depends entirely on the progress of the construction of the above railway line, while the infrastructure is still in the research stage and has not yet been formed. Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade proposed to postpone the implementation time to the period 2035-2040 to match the progress of completing the railway line.

The free trade zone associated with the seaport in Cai Mep Ha area has a scale of 3,764 hectares, divided into 3 functional areas and 8 sub-areas.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the implementation of free trade zone projects in the city has received attention and support from domestic and foreign investors. Up to now, a number of large investors such as DP World, Vingroup, Geleximco joint venture... have expressed their desire to participate.

However, the relevant legal regulations are still incomplete and lack specific policies. The development of these policies is still stuck due to being inappropriate or not yet regulated in current laws.

In addition, after implementing the policy of merging provinces, the economic scale and administrative boundaries of Ho Chi Minh City have changed. Therefore, it is necessary to survey and re-evaluate the current situation of the logistics industry and regional supply chain, exploiting the strengths of 3 regions, including Binh Duong (industry), Ba Ria - Vung Tau (marine economy - logistics) and Ho Chi Minh City (international finance).

Regarding An Binh Free Trade Zone and Bau Bang Free Trade Zone, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee believes that they cannot be implemented at this stage. In April 2025, the People's Committee of Binh Duong Province (formerly) assigned Becamex IDC Corporation to study and survey the free trade economic zone project in Tan Uyen Ward with a scale of 50 hectares. However, this location is not yet included in the planning of free trade zones in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City proposed that the Government consider and approve the free trade zone project and develop a strategy for the development of these zones. At the same time, it directed ministries and branches to coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to develop preferential policies in an open, flexible, and diverse manner, creating incentives to attract investment and facilitate production and business activities.

In addition, the Department recommends that the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly Delegation consider including policies on establishing free trade zones in the revised Resolution 98.