Mayor Hsieh's Visit to Chu Lai Open Economic Zone Vietnam 前進越南取經「舟來經濟特區」
Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh led a delegation to visit Vietnam in order to cope with the preparation of the forthcoming Free Port Zone in the city. It is hoped by scrutinizing the development plans and operation modes of Chu Lai Open Economic Zone,the fist open economic zone in Vietnam after a 3-year planning stage, valuable information regarding the future operation at Free Port Zone for Kaohsiung Port can be obtained, as well as cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. Above all, this experience will facilitate us to promote the advantage of investment in Kaohsiung and equip the city to enhance its potential as a
commercially sound environment.
The itinerary of this visits to Vietnam including the following places: Chu Lai Open Economic Zone, the Central Trade Company, Tan Thuan Industrial Zone, Dina Bhuin Processing Zone, Vietnam Economic Trading Organization and Vietnam Government Invest office, hoping to have a better understanding of invest environment in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Government and all private parties concerned significance of Mayor Hsieh's visit due to the fact that he was the former chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. Therefore, they gave Mayor Hsieh a warm welcome. The Kaohsiung Mayor indicated that this visit would facilitate turning the south of Taiwan into a logistic transfer center of south east Asia.
The mayor emphasized that the purpose of this visit was to gain a better understanding of the investment environment in Vietnam and the condition of Taiwanese investment. Thus, it was hoped that export processing and international marking would be facilitated. Taiwan might therefore become a center for future development.
Vu Ngoc Hoang and Nguyen Ngoc Quang, the officers of Quang Nam Province, accompanied Mayor Hsieh and the delegation with a visit to Chu Lai Open Economic Zone. The delegation visited the economic zone, the airport and the port, which are all under construction. Mayor Hsieh pointed out the significance of the economic zone, in its role as a transfer center. It will greatly reduce shipping expenses for nearby countries, thereby creating a crucial impact on Singapore, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung Port.
Chu Lai Open Economic Zone is situated in the center of Vietnam, Quang Name Province, 850 kilometers away from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It, 400 million acres, has been allocated to become a free trade port zone, an administrative district, an industrial district, a travel district and a refined agurculture district. Ka Ha Port is the only free trade port in the nation to serve theses various districts. Vietnam Government plans to use the geographic advantage of Quang Nam Province, turning Chu Lai Open Economic zone into the largest transfer center of south east Asia.
The Kaohsiung Mayor remarked that Vietnam could be pretty competitive after the completion of the economic zone and the other constructions. Therefore, Taiwan should apply its energies to achieve its own goals by the earliest possible completion of the Free Port Zone.
因應高雄自由貿易港區設置在即，高雄市長謝長廷特率團前往越南參訪，主要參觀越南歷經三年規劃成立的第一個國家級經濟特區「舟來經濟開發區」，瞭解特區規劃與運作模式，作為高雄港自由貿易港區未來運作與兩地合作的參考，加強行銷高雄投資優勢與環境。
市長謝長廷率領的越南經貿參訪團行程共五天，除參觀舟來經濟開發區外，還安排參觀由台灣的中央貿易開發公司，與胡志明市人民委員會聯合開發的富美興都新都心（南西貢開發計畫區），以及越南第一個加工區新順加工區﹔並拜會越南工商總會及政府投資計畫部，了解越南投資環境。
由於謝長廷曾任執政黨黨主席的身分，讓他此行備受越南官方及民間重視，包括國家安全單位及黨營事業代表都主動會見，儘管官方代表因中國壓力不願公開，但都表達最大善意﹔而謝長廷則希望藉此增加對越南投資環境的了解，促使台灣中南部成為東南亞經貿的運籌中心。
他強調，此行主要目的在了解越南的投資環境以及台商在此投資情形，也協助我加工出口區的國際行銷工作，將台灣的產業技術及發展經驗輸出到東南亞國家，分散台商偏重中國投資的風險。
謝長廷等一行人抵達舟來經濟特區時，該區所屬廣南省書記武玉皇親自接待，並由該該區執行長阮玉光陪同、逐一參觀規劃興建中的經濟特區及機場、深水港﹔謝長廷強調，舟來經濟特區是高雄市經貿訪問團重點行程之一，將作為高雄市發展經濟特區參考，且該區不但對越南的發展有重大意義，未來泰國及鄰近貨物都可透過該區再轉運美國，大幅降低轉運成本，也將直接影響新加坡、香港及高雄港的發展。
「舟來經濟特區」位於越南中心點廣南省，距離河內市及胡志明市約八五Ｏ公里，佔地四萬公頃，特區內規劃有自由貿易港區、都市行政區、工業區、旅遊區、特別旅遊區及精緻農業區，其中「棋河港自由貿易港區」是越南唯一的自由貿易港區，越南政府已計畫將運用廣南省的地理優勢，將「舟來經濟特區」發展為東南亞最大的貨運轉運中心。
謝長廷強調，以越南的投資環境，以及現有台商爭取的多項優惠措施，在舟來經濟特區機場及港口都完成後，競爭力不容忽視，台商實在不應該缺席，台灣也應該加速自由貿易港區的設置，以提升競爭力。