Ho Chi Minh City has always been a pioneer in the development of industrial parks (IPs) and export processing zones (EPZs). Apart from its achievements, the city is now facing unsolved problems and challenges. Therefore, proposing consistent solutions to these problems helps the IPs-EPZs play well their pioneering role in industrialization and modernization in HCMC. | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT No. 206, October 2011 DEVELOPMENT OF HCMC-BASED INDUSTRIAL PARKS IN THE TWENTY YEARS DEVELOPMENT OFPAST HCMC-BASED INDUSTRIAL PARKS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS by Prof., Dr. VOÕ THANH THU * by Prof., Dr. VOÕ THANH THU * Ho Chi Minh City has always been a pioneer in the development of industrial parks (IPs) and export processing zones (EPZs). Apart from its achievements, the city is now facing unsolved problems and challenges. Therefore, proposing consistent solutions to these problems helps the IPs-EPZs play well their pioneering role in industrialization and modernization in HCMC. Keywords: IPs, EPZs, industrialization, modernization, export, pollution. The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Taân Thuaän Export Processing Zone, which was the first industrial park of HCMC and the whole country as well. Until May 2011, Vietnam has been home to 260 industrial and high-tech parks occupying a total area of 71,394 ha in 57 provinces. Of them, 173 industrial parks with an area of 43,718 ha have come into operation and 87 centralized IPs are under construction [3, 4]. Moreover, there are thousands of local industrial clusters and small industrial parks (excluding the 14,000-hectare Dung Quaát IP). All of them contribute to the development of the IP system in the whole country. Up to this time, there have been three EPZs and 12 IPs of 3,500 ha, accounting for 58% of the total area of 6,000 ha zoned for centralized IPs in HCMC. Additionally, seven new IPs are going through legal procedures, namely Baøu Ñöng, Phöôùc Hieäp, Xuaân Thôùi Thöôïng, Vónh Loäc 3, Leâ 26 RESEARCHES & DISCUSSIONS Minh Xuaân 2, Leâ Minh Xuaân 3, and Phuù Höõu. Their total area is 1,569 ha. Other four IPs (Hieäp Phöôùc, Vónh Loäc, Taây Baéc Cuû Chi, and Leâ Minh Xuaân) are intended to expand to 849 ha. Consequently, the city will hold 22 IPs and EPZs with a total area of 5,918 ha. Here are some remarks about the development of HCMC-based IPs (HIPs) in retrospect: 1. .
