A corner of Ha Long Bay

The adjustments were approved inthe Prime Minister’s Decision 702/QD-TTg issued on June 7 this year.

The adjustments are made withthe goal of enhancing the role and position of Quang Ninh province in generaland Ha Long city, home to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, inparticular. They are designed to help Ha Long develop in a sustainable manner,meeting requirements of green growth and adaptation to climate change.

Ha Long is envisioned to becomea modern and friendly sea resort city and an international-class service-tourismcentre, in tandem with preserving and promoting the value of the Ha Long Bay.

The area subject to the planningcovers 27,753.9 ha of land within the administrative boundary of Ha Long city, withsome adjacent localities also targeted for research.

Ha Long city, projected to havea population of 570,00-600,000 by 2030, will be developed under the model of amulti-polar city. The Cua Luc Bay will be the centre of connectivity, whileurban development will focus on the corridor along the coast of Ha Long Bay,divided into four zones.

In the north, there will be an urbanarea connecting with the natural ecological system of Cua Luc Bay; while in thesouth, the southern Hoanh Bo area in Hoanh Bo district will be turned into aneco-service urban areas supporting Ha Long city.

The development zone in the eastwill serve as the city’s administrative, commercial and cultural centre, andthe western zone will accommodate tourism, service, industry and port. Furtherto the west there will be international-class tourism-service centres andeducation and sport facilities in combination with urban areas.

Regarding directions forindustrial production, the city will shift to industrial clusters and logisticand storage services. It will build the Viet Hung hi-tech park, turn the CaiLan industrial park into a hub of clean industries and in the long-term, acomplex of urban and port services, and upgrade the Ha Khanh industrialcluster. Open mines will be restored and converted into greenery, golfcourses, tourism site and ecological urban areas.

For the tourism sector, Ha Longcity will develop entertainment facilities, high-class resorts, marinas,cruiser ports meeting international standards in the Bai Chay-Hung Thang areas.Cultural tourism will be developed in Hon Gai, while eco-tourism and resortfacilities are planned for Tuan Chau and Dai Yen areas.

The city aims to attractinvestment in high-class hotels, resorts and entertainment parks. It willdesignate 524ha of land for building resorts, hotels and other types of accommodations.

It is noteworthy that publicbeaches and related services will be developed in coastal areas in Hong Gai,Hong Ha, Ha Phong, Cao Xanh, Bai Chay, Hung Thang and Tuan Chau.  

At the announcement ceremony, ViceChairman of the provincial People’s Committee Cao Tuong Huy required Ha Longcity authorities to build detailed development plans based on the overallplanning, along with schemes on attracting investment and arranging capital.

He instructed that priorityshould be given to areas and zones that can create quick and effective impactson Ha Long’s overall development.

Huy added that the city shouldalso revise previous plans to make them in line with the adjusted overallplanning and quickly build regulations and necessary tools to ensure that theimplementation of the adjusted planning meets schedule.

Ha Long is the capitalcity and first-class provincial city of Quang Ninh province. The city was created in1993, when the old capital, Hon Gai, was merged with Bai Chay –the main tourist area. The city mainly lies on Ha Long Bay.It is located at about 178 km east of Hanoi.-VNA