Quang Ninh, Hai Phong bolster cooperation for mutual development
Quang Ninh (VNA) – The northeastern
province of Quang Ninh inaugurated the Ha Long-Hai Phong highway in early
September, which is expected to enhance economic connectivity between the province
and Hai Phong city, which are the two pillars of the northern economic triangle.
Being neighbours, the connection between Quang Ninh
and Hai Phong has existed for a long time and spanned many fields.
Both being coastal localities, Quang Ninh and Hai
Phong have advantages that supplement each other. Hai Phong is traditionally a
port city and has established ties with many partners. However, it lacks
deep-water sea ports to meet the demand of sea transportation in the new development
period. Quang Ninh can make up for the shortage with the Cai Lan system of
deep-water ports and modern logistics infrastructure, which serve as the base
for cargo to be transported to Hai Phong and from there to other localities. Thanks
to their connection, the two localities have enjoyed the most dynamic growth of
sea-based economy in the northern region.
Following the upgrade of the Cat Bi Airport, Hai
Phong has become the second largest aviation gateway in the northern region,
second only to Hanoi. Through Hai Phong, international visitors can reach
famous destinations in Quang Ninh such as the Ha Long Bay, and other destinations
along the northern coast.
Meanwhile, Quang Ninh is connected with the large
market of China through a system of border gates.
In addition, the World Natural Heritage site of Ha
Long Bay in Quang Ninh is adjacent to the Cat Ba World Biosphere Reserve in Hai
Phong.
Therefore, the two localities serve as a joint
tourist destination and a transit point for cargo in the Vietnam-China economic
corridor.
However, before the Ha Long-Hai Phong Highway is
built, the two localities were connected by only Highway 10, which, with only
two lanes, had been seriously overloaded with large traffic volume.
After the Hanoi-Hai Phong Highway was completed in
December 2015, the volume of traffic surged suddenly on the route between Hanoi
and Quang Ninh’s Ha Long city through Hai Phong, as Ha Long is only 25km from
Hai Phong. Quang Ninh took the initiative in asking the Government for
permission to mobilise investment to build the Hai Phong-Ha Long Highway,
aiming to improve transit between the two localities.
Hai Phong actively coordinated with the
neighbouring province in carrying out the Hai Phong-Ha Long Highway project, particularly
in relocating residents to clear the ground for the highway.
This is the first highway
project in Vietnam implemented by a province, using the provincial budget and
capital mobilised from the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Built at a cost of over
13.6 trillion VND (581 million USD), the 25.2 km long highway connects Highway
18 in Dai Yen ward of Quang Ninh province’s Ha Long city with the Hanoi-Hai
Phong Highway in Hai An district of Hai Phong.
The Ha Long-Hai Phong Highway is expected to
create breakthroughs in socio-economic development of the economic triangle
covering Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.
It will cut the distance between Hanoi and Ha
Long from 180km to 130km, and the Ha Long-Hai Phong route from 75km to 25km.
Both Hai Phong and Quang
Ninh have designed plans to optimize opportunities to be brought by the new
route. Quang Ninh has given special priority to building the Dam Nha Mac
industrial-service complex in Quang Yen town, which will house industries with
demand for large sea cargo transportation. Hai Phong will assist the
neighbouring province in developing sea ports and trade partners.
Over the past years, Quang Ninh has gained
important achievements in socio-economic development.
Gross
Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) rose by 10.16 percent in the first half, and
is expected to up over 11 percent this year. Per capita GRDP is 5,065 USD per
person per year, with an annual growth of 9.1 percent.
The
province enjoyed a year-on-year increase of 25 percent in the number of
tourists in the first eight months of this year, or 9.2 million arrivals,
including 3.2 foreigners.
Last
year, Quang Ninh, for the first time ever, became the most competitive province
in the country, topping Vietnam’s PCI 2017, with 70.7 out of 100 points. It
also rose to the first place in the Public Administrative Reform (PAR) Index
with 89.54 points.-VNA