Hai Phong issues urgent notice to prepare for land acquisition for social housing

On October 20, the Office of the Hai Phong City People's Committee has just issued an urgent notice of the conclusion of the Chairman of the City People's Committee at the meeting to listen to the report on the preparation for the enforcement of the decision to reclaim land from Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics and Warehousing Joint Stock Company (Chau Giang Company Limited is the related unit) to implement the Social Housing Project at Lac Vien Warehouse 3 (No. 142 Le Lai), May Chai Ward and Cau Tre Ward, Ngo Quyen District.

After listening to the Chairman of Ngo Quyen District People's Committee report on the approved enforcement plan, the plan to ensure security and order, and the opinions of the delegates attending the meeting, the Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee concluded a number of related contents.

Specifically, recently, the Taiwan Affairs Committee, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam, the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in Hai Phong, Cosmos Shoes International Ltd., Chau Giang Co., Ltd. and some workers of Chau Giang Co., Ltd. sent a document to the City People's Committee and some agencies requesting the city to stop the enforcement on October 23, 2023 and extend it to December 31, 2023.

However, Hai Phong City People's Committee did not accept the above proposal because regarding the policy of implementing the social housing project in the area of ​​General Warehouse 3, the City People's Committee had many documents announced and made public early.

In particular, on March 29, 2022, Hai Phong City People's Committee issued Decision 927 approving the Project to locally adjust the 1/2000 planning of Ngo Quyen district until 2025; according to the planning project, the area of ​​Lac Vien Warehouse 3 to implement the policy of building social housing combined with solving housing for households living in old apartment buildings in the city.

On July 8, 2022, the City People's Committee issued Decision 2212 approving the investment policy of the social housing project at Lac Vien Warehouse 3 (No. 142 Le Lai), May Chai Ward and Cau Tre Ward (Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong).

On October 7, 2022, the City People's Committee issued Decision 3365 approving the investor to implement the Project. On October 28, 2022, the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District issued Notice No. 880 on land recovery of Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company (including the warehouse land area leased to Chau Giang Company Limited).

In Notice No. 309 dated August 22, 2023 of the City People's Committee, the enforcement period starts from September 22, 2023. In Notice No. 289 dated October 10, 2023 of the City People's Committee Office, the enforcement period has been adjusted to start from October 23, 2023 (postponed by 1 month).

By October 5, 2023, 26/27 organizations had implemented the transfer of assets and handed over land to the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District, including Thien Vinh Company Limited with about 2,000 workers, which also seriously followed the city's direction and handed over land from February 14, 2023 (8 months ago).

Thus, the information on planning and implementation of the Project has been fully implemented by the City People's Committee according to regulations and announced and made public very early (starting from April 2022), but Chau Giang Company Limited and Cosmos Shoes International Ltd. Company did not prepare to move assets, equipment, and machinery.

The City People's Committee directly leases land to Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics and Warehousing Joint Stock Company (the City People's Committee does not directly lease land to Chau Giang Company Limited).

Chau Giang Company Limited has rented the warehouse and yard of Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company to organize production; Cosmos Shoes International Ltd (not an investor/foreign-invested enterprise implementing an investment project in the city) has directly negotiated and signed a processing contract with Chau Giang Company Limited, Chau Giang Company Limited signed labor contracts with employees to serve production.

Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company has received compensation and support and has handed over the land to the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District since September 19.

“Therefore, any damage when the State reclaims land to implement the Project will be resolved by the parties, Chau Giang Company Limited and Cosmos Shoes International Ltd., together with Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company, according to the signed civil contract; the employer is responsible for resolving the rights of the employees,” the Conclusion Notice stated.

The Office of the Hai Phong City People's Committee issued Document No. 6619 dated September 26, 2023, in which the Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, Le Anh Quan, directed Quang Binh - Dinh Vu Dry Port Joint Stock Company to create favorable conditions for Chau Giang Company Limited to soon rent a warehouse to move machinery, assets, and goods at Lac Vien Warehouse 3, May Chai Ward and Cau Tre Ward, Ngo Quyen District.

This is the concern of the City People's Committee's leaders for businesses. The above opinion cannot be used as a legal basis or as a reason to delay the movement of assets, equipment, and machinery.

According to regulations on land recovery, compensation, and site clearance, in cases of re-leasing land and assets attached to land, the City is not responsible for arranging new land or premises for enterprises to continue production and business.

Also according to the conclusion, the Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee agreed with the plan to enforce the land recovery decision of Ngo Quyen District People's Committee and the adjusted plan to ensure security and order of Ngo Quyen District Police, reported at the meeting on October 19, 2023.

At the same time, the Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee requested Ngo Quyen District People's Committee to properly implement the instructions of the City People's Committee in Notice No. 289/TB-VP dated October 10, 2023. In particular, the time to start the forced adjustment will start from 8:00 a.m. on October 24, 2023.

Hai Phong City leaders requested the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District to direct investors to immediately demolish warehouses and houses without assets, machinery and equipment for production; continue to propagate and mobilize Chau Giang Company Limited and Cosmos Shoes International Ltd to seriously implement the City's direction.

In addition, the head of the Hai Phong City People's Committee requested Hai Phong Electricity One Member Co., Ltd. and Hai Phong Water Supply Joint Stock Company to seriously implement the contents of Notice No. 289/TB-VP dated October 10, 2023 of the City People's Committee Office.

For more than 20 people residing in the area, Chau Giang Company Limited rented a warehouse from Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company, which is against regulations (the city leased land to Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company for the purpose of building a warehouse) and is not in accordance with the contract that Chau Giang Company Limited signed with Hai Phong Foreign Trade Logistics Joint Stock Company (renting a warehouse for production).

All foreigners mentioned above are required to move out of the enforcement area before October 24, 2023. In case they cannot find a place to rent a house, the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District will find and introduce a place to rent a house for the above foreigners to rent.

The Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee assigned Colonel Bui Trung Thanh - Deputy Director of the City Police and Chairman of Ngo Quyen District People's Committee to directly command at the scene.