The Chairman made the statement at the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee-organized workshop named ‘Developing space and functions along the Saigon River corridor according to French experience on the Seine River planning' yesterday afternoon. The Department of Planning and Architecture, along with the consulting joint venture of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global) and the Institute for Paris Regional (IPR), were assigned to co-chaired the workshop on March 2. Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai and many foreign experts attended the event.
Speaking at the workshop, Chairman Phan Van Mai said that Ho Chi Minh City is urgently implementing three plans, including the city planning for the period 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050; review and adjustment of the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City to 2040 with a vision to 2060 and development of the general planning of Thu Duc City in the same period as the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City. These are three very important plans for the city's development in the coming time.
Therefore, studies to preserve and promote the value of the Saigon River in the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City and Thu Duc City are very important, so Ho Chi Minh City coordinated with two organizations IPR and AVSE Global to conduct in-depth research on the Saigon River.
According to Chairman Phan Van Mai, experts all voiced their opinions about the city planning that the government should take heed of the preservation of the values of the Saigon River.
Preservation and development of these values in the context of Ho Chi Minh City being affected by many impacts and challenges of climate change. According to experts, the city should have reasonable exploitation during the development process in addition to conservation.
Experts in the workshop affirmed that the Saigon River corridor with 5 unique characteristics is the spiritual and natural backbone of Ho Chi Minh City. These are characteristics of special historical value for Vietnam; plus, the river is the physical boundary connecting the provinces of Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Binh Duong. Moreover, the river is a unique property with a world-class biodiversity ecosystem.
The economic potential along the Saigon River corridor includes the local service economy like river tourism, culture and entertainment, the night economy, the service economy comprising trade, business services, and logistics, the green and digital economy, transport infrastructure development, economics and real estate.
An AVSE Global and IPR representative Nguyen Thu Tra who is the Director of the Saigon River Corridor Development Strategic Planning Project, emphasized that planning and development of the Saigon River must truly be the highlight and backbone in the content of adjusting the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City, in order to achieve the city's development vision. According to her, if the city's administrations have the right assessment of the river's importance, it will open up more development opportunities for the city in the next 30 years.
According to Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Planning and Development Association Architect Tran Tri Dung, Ho Chi Minh City should integrate these ideas into management and construction work, first of all in the central area in the coming time.
Meanwhile, the representative of the consulting organization of the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the southern largest city should turn this place into the front line of the entire city with many utilities and community values.
According to Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong, currently Ho Chi Minh City is implementing many plans. Amongst plans, HCMC administrators considered the Saigon River the core to awaken the river's potential in all aspects.
He said that the Department of Planning and Architecture synthesized experts’ opinions at the workshop so that planning consulting units could update them more in-depth to highlight the Saigon River. Today's ideas and recommendations will be heard by city administrators for updates on in-depth future key planning projects to ensure feasibility, said Mr. Bui Xuan Cuong.
