A place of prominent advantages

 

First of all, by looking to competitive advantages at national level, Van Don lies on the strategic transit route from East Asia to Southeast Asia and from ASEAN to China, in the Vietnam - China “two corridors, one belt” cooperation area, in Nanning - Singapore economic corridor, and in the extended Tonkin Gulf inter-regional cooperation area. Van Don, within fast-growing East Asia, the most dynamic growth centre of the world, lies beside China, the most populous country in the world and the second largest economy on the globe.

 

Domestically, Van Don is part of the Tonkin Gulf coastal economic belt development plan, the Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh development triangle, and in the important urban chain of Red River Delta region. Hence, it is easily and quickly accessible to major economic and political centres of the region. Van Don is also surrounded by Bai Tu Long Bay, a key component of Ha Long Bay World Natural Heritage and Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve (Hai Phong City).

 

Van Don has a total area of more than 2,170 square kilometres, of which land area is over 550 square kilometres and the sea area is 1,620 square kilometres, which comprise of over 600 islands of different sizes in Bai Tu Long Bay, adjacent to Ha Long Bay - a Natural Wonder of the World. The district has more than 20 inhabited islands and Cai Bau Island is the largest district centre, covering more than 300 square kilometres. Van Don Economic Zone is rich in resources for high-quality ecotourism development thanks to favourable natural conditions, wild lands, enchanting island caves and beautiful beaches. Cultural resources are assessed diverse and compelling, including archaeological sites like Ngoc Vung, Soi Nhu and Ha Giat; historic vestiges like Quan Lan Temple, Van Don Festival, Quan Lan Festival and Ngoc Vung Festival. The island district of Van Don has rich marine resources in both quantity and variety, according to scientists. The annual commercial fishing catch reaches some 20,000 tonnes, mainly shrimp, fish, crab, oysters, sipunculus nudus, and abalone.

Currently, Van Don Economic Zone has over 79 investment projects with a total registered investment capital of VND9,800 billion. It also has 161 private enterprises with a total registered capital of VND1,368 billion. Specially, this economic zone is preparing for the set-up of nine functional areas. It has completed surveys for the formation of four important functional zones, namely 2,200-ha Cai Rong Urban Zone, 4,400-ha Doan Ket Urban Zone, 2,000-ha Eastern Cai Bau Park Complex and 2,000-ha Northern Cai Bau Urban Zone and Port Complex.

With its strategically important position in economy and defence and with huge potentials in economic, commercial and services development, choosing Van Don to build a special economic zone is believed to be a right decision as it will serve as the breakthrough spearhead of Quang Ninh province and the key for the province to unlock the gate to international integration.