HCMC vows to protect Can Gio environment amid port and tourism development plans

Ho Chi Minh City has said it will not sacrifice environmental protection for economic growth as it develops Can Gio into a centre for maritime trade, logistics and tourism. City officials outlined plans for a US$5 billion international transshipment port and a coastal tourism network, while stressin

Ho Chi Minh City will not sacrifice environmental protection for economic growth as it develops Can Gio into a centre for maritime trade, logistics and tourism, city officials have said. Speaking at the 13th conference of the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves on 6 Nov, Bui Minh Thanh, vice chairman of the HCMC People's Committee, described the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve as a valuable natural asset that helps protect biodiversity, regulate the climate, safeguard coastlines and sustain local livelihoods.

Following its administrative expansion, HCMC now covers more than 6,700 sq km and has a population of nearly 15 million. Thanh said the city's larger development area also brings greater responsibility for environmental protection. HCMC aims to develop Can Gio into a green, smart and environmentally friendly coastal urban area while preserving its ecosystem and promoting ecotourism.

Under its development plans through 2030, HCMC has identified the Can Gio International Transshipment Port, linked to a free trade zone, as a potential growth driver. The proposed port would cover about 571 hectares and require nearly US$5 billion in investment. It is expected to expand international cargo transshipment capacity and support port services and logistics.

The city also plans to connect Can Gio with Vung Tau and Con Dao to develop a coastal and island tourism network. Other priorities include high-tech marine aquaculture, advanced seafood processing and product traceability. By 2030, HCMC targets annual growth of 8 per cent in marine aquaculture production value and 14 per cent in coastal and island tourism revenue.

Experts called for conservation to be integrated into development planning. Duong Thanh An, deputy director of the Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said environmental protection and natural resource conservation should be built into policymaking and spatial planning from the outset. Experts also urged better waste management, limits on impacts to sensitive ecosystems, and funding for conservation through ecosystem services and carbon markets.