VietNamNet Bridge – The Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone Authority said the multi-million-dollar resort complex World Shine-Hue on Cua Khem Cape in Thua Thien-Hue Province has been suspended due to controversial opinions and concerns over its location.

The multi-million-dollar resort complex World Shine-Hue on Cua Khem Cape in Thua Thien-Hue Province has been suspended due to controversial opinions and concerns over its location -- Photo: NLD

Vietnam News Agency quoted the authority’s head Nguyen Que as saying that the agency and the investor of the resort project have agreed on the suspension since on November 26 as it is located in an area of great importance for national defense and security.

Que confirmed the licensing of World Shine-Hue lies in the hands of the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone Authority and the project matches the master zoning plan for development of this economic zone as clarified in the Prime Minister’s Decision 1771/QD-TT dated December 5, 2008.

Que stressed that the central province will not spur development at any cost but opt for the harmonious connection between economic growth and the nation’s defense and security.

According to Thanh Nien, the project’s investor is a subsidiary of the British Virgin Islands-based World Shine Hong Kong Limited Company. Meanwhile, Vietnam News Agency said the project has four shareholders and their legal representative is Chinese national Lu Wang Sheng.

Licensed in October last year, the resort complex requires total investment capital of US$250 million and is scheduled for completion in 2023. The 50-year project is envisioned to have a five-star hotel with 450 rooms, a luxury apartment building with 220 apartments, 350 villas and a 2,000-seat international convention center.

Hoang Ngoc Khanh, office manager of the Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee, told a media briefing last week that the project was licensed in line with relevant investment procedures and regulations.

The Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone Authority collected comments of relevant agencies on the 200-hectare area allocated to the resort complex. So far, the Thua Thien-Hue government has developed a road leading to the site and the investor has built an office to manage the project.

However, concerns about the strategic site of the resort project sparked after local media reported on it, forcing the local government to ask for opinions of the Military Zone 4, the Ministry of Defense and other relevant agencies before approving a detailed construction plan for the project and awarding a land-use right certificate to the investor.

Experts denounced the project as a threat to national security due to great strategic significance of the Hai Van Pass and called for the provincial government and the Ministry of Defense to review it carefully.

At the press conference, leaders of Thua Thien-Hue Province said the province was waiting for instructions from the Prime Minister on the controversial resort project.

But a week later, the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone Authority said it and the investor have agreed the suspension of the big-ticket resort complex, which is situated just north of Danang City and near the southern entrance to Hai Van Pass.

SGT/VNN