Since its establishment in 2007, the Van Don Economic Zone has had an overhaul and new developments. It has been continually striving to become a major driving force for economic growth in Quang Ninh province.
Van Don Economic Zone was established following the Government’s Decision No. 786/QD-TTg dated June 25, 2006. With the total area of some 2,171.33 square kilometers, it embraces the whole Van Don island district and borders on Tien Yen and Dam Ha districts to the north and northeast, on Co To district to the southeast, and on Cam Pha town and Ha Long city to the west. Van Don economic zone consists of one township and 11 communes, with more than 600 islands and islets lying within Bai Tu Long bay.
According to the Decision No. 786/QD-TTg dated June 25, 2006 by the Prime Minister on approving the scheme on socio-economic development in Van Don economic zone, the economic zone will serve as a high-quality island-sea eco-tourist center, an international air transport center, a high-class service center, and an international trade center, making great contributions to economic growth and sustainable development of Quang Ninh province. It will also contribute toward ensure security, national defense and social order and safety and to firmly maintain national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
After 5 years, the scheme has fostered the zone’s socio-economic development with the average annual growth rate of 16.8 percent.
In August, 2009, the Prime Minister approved a project to develop Van Don Economic Zone until 2020 with a vision to 2030. Under the plan, Van Don will become a key economic hub of the province and the northern coastal region, a high-end maritime tourism center with resorts to lure tourists from East and Southeast Asia.
Quang Ninh has currently submitted the master plan on Van Don Economic Zone’s socio-economic development until 2020 with a vision to 2030 to the Prime Minister as well as formulated the detailed plannings for 09 functional areas in the economic zone.
There are 22 infrastructure projects under implementation in the zone with the total investment capital of VND 4,587 billion. Quang Ninh province and Van Don Island District have been pushing lots of infrastructure projects such as a road connecting a resettlement area in Van Yen commune to an entertainment complex in eastern Cai Bau island, a zoning for Van Don International Airport, the infrastructure system at the resettlement area in Ha Long commune, the expressway No.334 (third phase), etc.
Meanwhile, some projects including the main route connecting functional areas within the economic zone, the highway connecting the 4B national expressway, power transmission system in island communes, etc. are also on the pre-investment stage.
Apart from infrastructure construction, Quang Ninh asked the Government for permission to carry out the new management model attached to specific economic and administrative mechanisms. The province has also formulated the scheme on adopting appropriate preferential policies so as to call for and attract investment capital, which will be submitted to the central government and ministries in the coming time.
Besides, the province has paid great attention to investment attraction. The authorities commit to facilitate the best conditions for investors so that they will continue to enjoy preferential treatment in pursuance to the Prime Minister’s master plan and the economic zone’s planning and will be directed to make good investments.
So far, Van Don Economic Zone has lured 72 domestic-invested projects with a total registered capital of VND 9,800 billion and 5 FDI projects with a total registered of capital USD 120.5 million. There are 161 non-state enterprises under operation in the zone with a total registered capital of VND 1,368 billion.
Especially, an international airport will be built in Van Don Economic Zone with the total investment capital of over USD 242 million, according the official plans announced last April. The 285-hectare airport will have runways 3,000m x 45m in size to allow the operation of long-range and wide-body Boeing 777s. By 2020, the airport will have at least four aprons and be able to handle 2 million passengers and 10,000 tonnes of goods per annum. By 2030, it will be expanded to have seven aprons, with the capacity to handle 5 million passengers and 30,000 tonnes per year.
It is expected that these investment projects will help spur socio-economic growth not only in the economic zone but in the province - a key economic hub in the northern region and home to World Heritage Ha Long Bay as well as many other landscapes.
Source: QNP
