Delegates perform the ceremony to announce the Bac Phong Sinh (Vietnam) - Ly Hoa (China) customs clearance at Bac Phong Sinh border gate (Hai Ha, Quang Ninh, Vietnam). (Source: BQN)

Currently, the province has 3 border gate economic zones in the Development Plan approved by the Prime Minister with a decision to establish with a total area of ​​over 144.75 hectares, including: Mong Cai border gate economic zone associated with Mong Cai border gate with an area of ​​121,197 hectares; Hoanh Mo - Dong Van border gate economic zone with a total area of ​​14,236 hectares; Bac Phong Sinh border gate economic zone with a total area of ​​9,302 hectares.

Open space, new development space

Before 2010, the province's infrastructure was not attractive enough to attract economic sectors, large and strong domestic and foreign organizations and enterprises to participate in investment and development.

But with the view that developing a synchronous and modern infrastructure is one of the three strategic breakthroughs, the province has mobilized large resources, focusing on investing in developing a synchronous and modern strategic transport infrastructure system, ensuring overall connectivity, promoting regional, inter-regional and intra-regional connectivity.

On September 1, 2022, the Van Don - Mong Cai expressway was officially put into operation, connecting with the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Ha Long - Van Don expressway to form the longest expressway chain in Vietnam, shortening the travel time from the capital Hanoi to Mong Cai International Border Gate to only 3 hours compared to 6 hours before.

The above expressway has made an important contribution to inter-regional development and trade between ASEAN countries, and is expected to bring great socio-economic benefits.

In addition, the project to renovate and upgrade provincial road 341 (National Highway 18C) from Mong Cai Border Gate Economic Zone to Bac Phong Sinh Border Gate Economic Zone (Hai Ha District) was inaugurated on September 1, 2023. After the road is put into use, the travel time between the two border gates will be shortened from nearly 1.5 hours to more than 25 minutes. The project helps increase the economic capacity of Quang Ninh border gate.

Not only that, the province also made synchronous investments and upgraded infrastructure at border gates and openings in the province, such as: Starting construction of Van Ninh port; investing in the project to build technical infrastructure for commercial services at Bac Luan II Inter-sectoral Control Station associated with the commercial and service area in Hai Hoa ward (Mong Cai city) phase 1...

These projects have been opening up new spaces and development space of a breakthrough nature, creating economic corridors and urban corridors linked to industrial parks and key economic zones in the province.

Quang Ninh focuses on investing in developing a synchronous and modern strategic transport infrastructure system, ensuring overall connectivity, promoting regional, inter-regional and intra-regional connectivity. (Source: BQN)

More motivation

The official announcement of the opening of the Hoanh Mo (Vietnam) - Dong Trung (China) bilateral border gate pair, including the Bac Phong Sinh (Vietnam) - Ly Hoa (China) customs clearance in June, has continued to open up new opportunities, creating momentum to strongly promote the development of the Hoanh Mo - Dong Van Border Gate Economic Zone.

In the first 6 months of 2024, Binh Lieu's total import-export turnover reached 67.6 million USD, equal to 66.28% of the yearly plan, up 46.07% over the same period in 2023. Of which, imports reached 41.34 million USD, equal to 76.57% of the plan, down 0.39% over the same period in 2023, exports reached 26.26 million USD, equal to 54.71% of the plan, up 449.86% over the same period.

The main export items are dry agricultural and forestry products; the main import items are furniture, auto parts, consumer goods... These are positive signals showing the economic recovery at the border gate and promise a strong recovery in the last months of the year.

The Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway connects to the Ha Long - Van Don Expressway, contributing to creating a breakthrough in the development space of Quang Ninh province. (Photo: Do ​​Phuong)

In addition, according to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ky, Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, the province aims to turn Mong Cai border gate economic zone into a national key border gate economic zone, a center of border gate trade, industry, seaports, logistics, and comprehensive services of Quang Ninh province and the Northern key economic region. At the same time, Tra Co National Tourist Area will be developed into a high-quality sea and island tourist area, associated with commercial tourism products and border gates.

Mong Cai City needs to focus on attracting projects to develop high-quality tourism products and services, develop import-export trade and logistics activities in the area. By the end of 2025, Mong Cai City must achieve the target of people's income in communes of over 100 million VND/person/year; complete the target of people using clean water through centralized water supply works.

In the coming time, Quang Ninh will continue to improve the investment and business environment, accompanying domestic and foreign enterprises to explore investment opportunities, especially in the fields of trade, tourism, logistics, processing and manufacturing industries.

To continue to affirm its role as a “bridge” to attract investors and businesses to carry out investment and import-export activities through the area, Quang Ninh province will always accompany and promptly handle difficulties and problems of businesses. From there, continue to develop and turn the border gate economic zone into a dynamic economic zone of the province and the whole country.