Hanoi (VNA) – The Van Don Economic Zone in the northeastern province of QuangNinh is projected to become a high-quality sea-island ecotourism hub, a centre for international aviation and services, and a gateway for international trade.
The Van Don Economic Zone was set up in 2007, becoming the only of its kind in the “Two Belt-One Road” cooperation between Vietnam and China as well as the expanded Tonkin Gulf economic cooperation, a connection point of the ASEAN-China coordination, and the Nanning-Singapore economic corridor. It is also part of the major Hanoi-HaiPhong-QuangNinh northern economic region.
The whole area lies in Van Don district.
When deciding the establishment of the Van Don coastal economic zone, the Prime Minister allowed the application of preferential mechanisms and policies for the area’s development, making it a high-quality sea-island ecotourism hub, a centre for international aviation and services, as well as a part of international trade.
Thanks to the international airport and the Hanoi-HaiPhong-Ha Long-Van Don-MongCai highway as well as special policies, Van Don has all the necessary factors to become a development hub of QuangNinh as well as the northern key economic region.
Along with Ha Long, Van Don is another wing for QuangNinh to become a centrally-run city in 2030.
New driving force for Van Don
In 2009, the Government approved a master plan for the construction of the Van Don Economic Zone to 2020 with a vision to 2030.
Under the plan, Van Don is a complete economic area operating with special mechanisms, serving the development demands of QuangNinh and the northern coastal region. It is designed to become a maritime-based tourism and high-end entertainment hub for the northern region, China’s Hainan island and eastern localities. It is expected to become a connection point for international trade and a major locomotive for the development of the northern key economic region.
The infrastructure system of the zone will be made modern in line with environmental protection and sustainable development, ensuring national security and defence for the northeastern region.
Over the past 10 years, QuangNinh has exerted efforts to implement the plan in a flexible, active and creative manner, especially through mobilising resources for major projects, thus laying the foundation for the growth of Van Don.
In February 2020, the Prime Ministers adjusted the plan to make it a multi-sector, multi-field maritime-based economic zone and a hub of entertainment with a casino, high-end sea-island tourism, services, as well as a gateway for international trade.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thang said that this is an important legal foundation for the management of the construction investment and the attraction of investors, as well as the distribution of residents and urban areas and other functional spaces. The zone will focus on promoting sectors with strong competitiveness.
The socio-economic development has been associated with the ensuring of national defence and security as well as the expansion of foreign relations.
The master plan for the development of the Van Don Economic Zone to 2040 has many changes compared to that issued 10 years ago.
Locomotive projects including airports and highways were added. The population scale increased to 140,000-200,000 in 2030 and 300,000-500,000 in 2040.
The development space of the zone is divided into two regions of CaiBauisland and Van Hai archipelago. They will become five development belts for high-end eco-resorts; ecotourism in association with the protection of natural heritage; urbanity-service-culture-entertainment area; service-trade-high-tech industry and logistics; and reserve for development towards the west in Cam Pha city and Tien Yen district.
Compared to the original plan, the adjusted one is more prominent in optimising the special ecological value of Van Don to create special value for the Van Don Economic Zone.
Locals take a look at the adjusted master plan for the construction of Van Don Economic Zone to 2040 (Photo: VietnamPlus). Recently, the Government also allowed QuangNinh to set up a management board for the Van Don Economic Zone, which is run by the provincial People’s Committee. It will serve as the major agency for State management for the implementation of the socio-economic goals of the zone in a fast and sustainable manner.
Attracting strategic investors
From 2012 to 2019, QuangNinh invested 57.6 trillion VND (2.62 billion USD) in the construction of the infrastructure system and projects motivating the growth of Van Don.
Of the total, 17.3 trillion came from State budget, and 40.3 trillion VND, or 70 percent, from non-State budget sources, mostly through a public-private-partnership investment format.
The investment was mostly poured into major projects such as the Van Don International Airport and the roads from the airport to major tourism hubs. Power and clean water supply works, and telecommunication projects have also been developed.
The Hon Net-Con Ong deep-water port serving tourism and cargo vessels have been projected for investment.
So far, Van Don has hosted 54 valid projects not using State budget.
Many strategic investors have marked their presence in Van Don, including Sungroup, the investor of the Van Don International Airport. Other major projects include Furama Ha Long Vietnam Resort and Villas, Sonasea Van Don Habor City, goal course and five-star hotels in AoTien area, and AoTien urban area.
Viglacera Van Hai company has also invested in the Van Hai high-end ecotourism project in Quan Lan island commune.
Currently, the construction of 37 villas to international standards is almost completed and scheduled to become operational in late September 2020.
Quang Ninh is working to help investors finalise procedures to invest in many other projects, while speeding up important projects such as the Van Don-Mong Cai highway, Cai Rong urban area’s main road, and the road connecting the airport with Van Don resort complex.
The People’s Committee of Quang Ninh is also reviewing and adjusting detail planning for different areas in line with the adjusted master plan for Van Don Economic Zone’s development to 2040./.
