The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh has been working to mobilise resources for the building of a blueprint on the establishment of the Van Don Special Administrative-Economic Zone. 

Van Don economic zone 

At a working session in late April with a delegation of the National Assembly on the blueprint, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thanh said the province began research for the project in 2012. Many workshops have been held to collect recommendations from experts, policy makers and scientists. 

Quang Ninh also received permission from the Prime Minister to hire foreign consulting companies for drafting the master plan for socio-economic development of Van Don and the overall construction planning for the area in the direction of a special administrative-economic unit. 

The province mobilised 57.6 trillion VND to invest in infrastructure in Van Don district, creating an impetus for the area’s development. Of the amount, 70 percent came from social sources. 

A series of key transport projects are scheduled to complete this year, including the Van Don airport, the Ha Long-Hai Phong and Ha Long-Van Don highways. Vice Chairman Thanh said the provincial administration has instructed its agencies to strengthen management of land and property to prevent the illegal use and trading of land and assets in Van Don district. 

Van Don district will be one of the first three special administrative-economic zones in Vietnam. The others are Bac Van Phong in central Khanh Hoa province and Phu Quoc in southern Kien Giang province. 

The National Assembly is expected to pass the Law on Special Administrative Economic Zones at its upcoming session. Once the law is released, the general socio-economic planning and construction of Van Don economic zone will be adjusted to fit its status as a special administrative-economic zone.- VNA