Quang Ninh's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) expanded 12.54% in the first nine months of 2026, with third-quarter growth reaching 15.04%.

According to published figures, both rates were the highest nationwide, surpassing those recorded by Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong and Hung Yen.

Speaking to VietNamNet, Quan Minh Cuong, Secretary of the Quang Ninh City Party Committee, outlined the key factors and policy measures behind the locality's strong economic performance.

Cuong attributed the results to a combination of factors, including development foundations built over many years, the efforts of businesses and residents, and a determination to innovate in leadership, governance and economic management.

"The city's high growth rate has also been supported by strong resource mobilization, with state budget revenue reaching VND80.327 trillion (approximately US$3.1 billion) in the first nine months, up 88.28% year on year," he said.

Turning development plans into measurable results

According to Cuong, growth figures alone do not fully explain Quang Ninh's approach. More important is how the locality organizes and implements its development objectives.

"We believe sound policies must be accompanied by effective implementation. Development goals are translated into specific tasks, targets and timelines, with each sector and locality clearly identifying its responsibilities," he said.

The city has developed growth scenarios for individual quarters and months, reviewing progress every month to promptly address obstacles and adjust policy measures.

The approach emphasizes clear accountability for personnel, tasks, schedules and outcomes.

Another important factor, Cuong said, is the administration's commitment to resolving difficulties faced by businesses and residents.

Administrative procedures, land clearance and infrastructure investment schedules can all become bottlenecks to economic growth if problems are not addressed promptly.

During the first nine months of 2026, Quang Ninh worked to resolve obstacles affecting 150 delayed projects, helping unlock resources for development.

Four pillars behind Quang Ninh's economic performance

Cuong said geographical advantages, natural landscapes and existing infrastructure can become genuine growth drivers only when supported by effective planning and well-connected infrastructure systems.

Quang Ninh is gradually translating this approach into concrete projects, with four priorities playing particularly important roles in its economic development.

The first is planning and infrastructure development.

During the first nine months of 2026, numerous development plans were approved, improving coordination, expanding development opportunities and establishing a stronger foundation for attracting investment.

The locality has used public investment to stimulate additional private and other non-state capital, while advancing major infrastructure projects.

These include the Hanoi-Quang Ninh high-speed railway and the Quang Ninh 1 wind power project.

The Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai railway and a large-scale seaport system in the Con Ong-Hon Net area are also under study.

The second priority is strengthening manufacturing and attracting high-tech investment.

Quang Ninh has focused on expanding production capacity and developing industries capable of generating higher added value.

In the first nine months, the industry and construction sector grew 14.02%, while services expanded 13.82%.

Manufacturing and processing industries recorded particularly strong growth of 26.67%, contributing 3.82 percentage points to overall economic expansion.

Cuong said all 12 projects scheduled to begin production or business operations during the year had become operational.

Quang Ninh also established six new industrial clusters and began construction of another nine.

Industrial parks and economic zones attracted 96.3% of the locality's total foreign investment, highlighting their increasingly important role in its economic structure.

The third priority is improving the quality of services and tourism.

Quang Ninh continues to capitalize on its natural scenery, heritage, culture and transport infrastructure to develop higher-quality tourism products, encourage longer stays and increase visitor spending.

During the first nine months, the locality organized more than 286 tourism promotion and demand-stimulation events and welcomed 49 international cruise ships.

Tourist arrivals were estimated at 18.8 million, with international visitor numbers increasing 28% year on year.

Tourism revenue was estimated at VND56.4 trillion (US$2.2 billion), up 27.38%.

The fourth priority is improving the investment and business environment.

According to Cuong, local authorities must proactively support businesses, shorten administrative processing times within legal requirements, make procedures publicly accessible, improve transparency and prioritize removing obstacles that directly affect production and business operations.

Currently, all administrative procedures are available online, while 99.7% of applications are processed on time or ahead of schedule.

In 2025, Quang Ninh ranked second among 34 localities in both the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS).

Its Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) was also among the five highest nationwide.

Cuong said Quang Ninh attracted more than VND225 trillion (approximately US$8.6 billion) in non-budget investment and over US$1.3 billion in foreign direct investment during the first nine months of 2026, providing additional resources for future development.

High-tech investment creates jobs and supports industrial transformation

With total registered investment exceeding US$3.3 billion, Amata City Ha Long Industrial Park, also known as Song Khoai Industrial Park, has emerged as a notable destination for foreign direct investment in Quang Ninh.

Numerous foreign companies have established factories there, particularly in high-tech industries.

Nguyen Van Nhan, General Director of Amata Ha Long Urban Joint Stock Company, told VietNamNet that the industrial park attracted six additional foreign-invested projects during the first nine months of 2026.

The park has now secured a total of 25 projects, with combined registered investment exceeding US$3.3 billion.

Investors mainly operate in semiconductors, electronics, electronic components and precision engineering, contributing to the locality's industrial development.

Nhan said many projects were still undergoing construction and equipment installation during 2024-2025.

The industrial park is now entering a period of accelerated production, with 14 projects already operational and another eight under construction or nearing completion.

Employment has also increased alongside investment.

The industrial park currently employs nearly 12,000 workers, with the workforce expected to continue expanding in the coming years.

"Since the project began, our goal has been to develop an ecological, green and environmentally friendly industrial park," Nhan said. "In attracting investment, Amata has proactively rejected projects that consume excessive resources or pose pollution risks. Instead, we focus on high-tech industries with high added value. Their development also helps reduce the share of traditional mining industries."

For workers, the growth of foreign-invested manufacturing has brought tangible improvements in employment and income.

Ngo Dinh Thuy, born in 1994, has worked for five years in the equipment department of Jinko Solar Vietnam Industries Co., Ltd. at Song Khoai Industrial Park.

Before joining the company, he worked freelance jobs with unstable income, making it difficult to support his family.

Working for a foreign-invested enterprise has given him opportunities to develop discipline, independence and professional skills.

"I earn VND14 million (approximately US$535) a month, excluding overtime pay. That income is enough to cover my family's living expenses in our hometown," Thuy said. "We have been working overtime to increase production and contribute to the local economy. When I heard that Quang Ninh had led the country in economic growth, I felt happy knowing that I had played even a small part in that achievement."

Pham Cong