Fostering Breakthrough Development to Turn Quang Yen into Dynamic City

Nestled along the Bach Dang River, known for its three naval battles against foreign invaders, Quang Yen town in Quang Ninh province is currently thriving with expansive roads and modern developments, gradually evolving into a new urban area. In its journey to attain city status by 2025, the town is prioritizing the planning and completion of integrated infrastructure. This is the foundation for Quang Yen to become a "smart city" and a hub for the processing industry and high technology of the province and the region.

Mr. Tran Duc Thang, Chairman of the Quang Yen People's Committee

Robust development

Quang Yen is a coastal town of Quang Ninh province, 125km east of Hanoi City, 30km southwest of Ha Long City, 12km southeast of Uong Bi City and about 20km east of Hai Phong City. This is a particularly important location, a connection point of Northeast interregional traffic works, a hub of modern seaports or developing industrial parks (IPs), vegetable production areas, maritime farming areas and fruit growing areas with high economic value.

Promoting these advantages, in recent years, central and provincial authorities have prioritized investment resources for infrastructure construction, especially traffic and social infrastructure. During the 2020-2023 period, Quang Ninh province prioritized the allocation of VND8,250 billion from its public investment fund to Quang Yen, representing 14% of the province’s total state investment fund for 2021-2025. This amount is three times that of the allocation for the 2016-2020 period, positioning Quang Yen as the second-highest recipient among the province's 13 localities, following Ha Long City.

Quang Ninh province is currently investing in key traffic projects in the town, including Ha Long Xanh Interchange, Dam Nha Mac Interchange, a riverside road connecting Ha Long-Hai Phong Expressway to Dong Trieu town, Ben Rung Bridge and a road linking Ben Rung Bridge with roads leading to Quang Ninh province with Hai Phong City. Meanwhile, Quang Yen is also focusing resources on upgrading many roads like Provincial Road 331B, extended Provincial Road 338, a road connecting Provincial Road 331 with Provincial Road 338, a road connecting from Cho Roc Interchange to Phong Hai Interchange.

In 2023, the total production value in the town reached VND51,982 billion, marking a 44.5% increase compared to 2022 - the highest ever recorded. In the first six months of 2024, the production value reached VND29,312 billion, achieving 47.2% of the annual plan and reflecting a 45.2% increase over the same period in 2023. The industry and handicrafts sector continues to be the driving force for economic growth, with industrial parks contributing VND18,450 billion, which accounts for 94.2% of the total industrial value. Quang Yen also leads the province in attracting foreign investment projects.

Specially, the inclusion of the Quang Yen Coastal Economic Zone Planning approved by the Prime Minister (under Decision 29/2020/QD-TTg dated September 24, 2020) into the Vietnam Coastal Economic Zone Planning is a big boost for the town to develop strongly. The Quang Yen Coastal Economic Zone is projected to experience annual growth of 14-15% during its first decade (2021-2030) and 8.5-9% in the subsequent five years (2031-2035). By 2030, it is expected to generate between 53,000 and 55,000 jobs, with this figure rising to an estimated 60,000 to 62,000 jobs by 2035.

Quang Yen town has successfully completed the revised Master Plan for 2040 and the Urban Development Program for 2030. It has prioritized social security, welfare, and cultural initiatives aimed at improving residents' livelihoods. Notably, there are currently no households classified as poor according to provincial criteria. In 2023, Quang Yen exceeded its targets by eliminating 55 temporary and dilapidated houses, achieving 196.5% of the assigned goal. Furthermore, there has been progress in culture, sports, education, and healthcare within the community.

Mr. Tran Duc Thang, Chairman of the Quang Yen People's Committee, said: Quang Yen town, once a hero during wartime and now a symbol of peace and prosperity, is embracing comprehensive integration. This is paving the way for impressive socioeconomic advancements in a coastal area with significant untapped potential. The town has successfully engaged its residents in this transformative development period.

Mr. Tran Duc Thang, Chairman of Quang Yen People's Committee at a working session with Ms. Somhatai Panichewa, CEO of Amata VN PCL

The stature of a dynamic coastal city

The resolution of the 21st Quang Yen Town Party Congress (2020-2025 term) states that: Quang Yen aims to achieve city status by 2025, positioning itself as a center for industrial and seaport logistics services. By 2030, it plans to be recognized as a second-class urban area.

To realize the above goals, the town has focused on prioritizing modern and sustainable industrial development by fostering cooperation and attracting investment into industrial parks. In particular, priority will be given to the development of seaports and logistics services, as well as industries such as ship repair and building, electronics, automobile manufacturing and assembly, information technology, new materials, and environmentally friendly manufacturing. This focus aims to create more job opportunities for workers while accelerating both economic and labor restructuring in the region.

The town is home to five industrial parks covering a total area of 4,591 hectares. These include Dong Mai Industrial Park, Song Khoai Industrial Park, Nam Tien Phong Industrial Park, Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park, and Bach Dang Industrial Park. Notably, Song Khoai Industrial Park (Amata City Ha Long) stands out for its strategic advantages in the economic zone, benefiting from some of the most favorable tax incentives in Vietnam. The industrial park offers a range of exceptional benefits, including significant tax incentives, seamless connectivity to major highways, and proximity to Hai Phong port and Cat Bi airport, all of which enhance logistics efficiency. Additionally, it boasts an abundant and skilled labor force. Its competitive cost advantages make it an optimal location for companies looking to transfer production to neighboring countries.

Chairman of Autoliv paid a working visit to the Autoliv Vietnam factory project in the Amata City Ha Long (Song Khoai Industrial Park) in Quang Yen town, March 2023

After more than six years of development, Amata Ha Long Industrial Park has successfully completed infrastructure investment across over 200 hectares. It has attracted 19 foreign investment projects, with a total investment capital exceeding US$2.9 billion from major investors, including Foxconn (Taiwan), Autoliv (Sweden), Jinko Solar (Hong Kong), as well as many investors from Japan and South Korea. As a result, Amata Song Khoai Industrial Park has emerged as the leading industrial park in Quang Ninh province, achieving the fastest investment results and the highest total foreign direct investment (FDI) capital to date.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nhan, General Director of AMATA City Ha Long Joint Stock Company, said, "Our project is strategically located in a key area of the province, offering attractive tax incentives and a readily available land fund. Amata City Ha Long is proud to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing industrial parks in Quang Ninh province." Currently, Amata operates a clean water supply plant with a capacity of 27,000 m³ per day, with plans to expand this capacity to 48,000 m³ per day to meet the growing investment needs of factories in the industrial park. In addition to the clean water supply system, which adheres to environmental protection standards, Amata has also invested in a centralized wastewater treatment plant, complemented by a collection pipeline system with a total capacity of 16,000 m³ per day. Further investments are planned to increase this capacity to 36,000 m³ per day in the near future.
In addition, the industrial park has made investments in a green landscaping system, underground sewer lines, and telecommunications infrastructure. It has partnered with telecommunications service providers to establish base transceiver stations (BTS), ensuring coverage throughout the entire industrial park. 

In addition, other industrial parks such as Nam Tien Phong, Bac Tien Phong, Dong Mai and Bach Dang all have prime locations, large areas, and the most preferential mechanisms and policies. Thus, they are exerting a strong allure to potential domestic and international investors. In the coming time, the town will continue to accelerate the construction of Tien Phong Port (Nam Tien Phong and Bac Tien Phong); attract investment capital for constructing and developing a logistics center in Dam Nha Mac General Service Industrial Park; prioritize the development of warehouses, wharves and yards to serve freight transit, supply raw materials and store products for industrial parks.

In addition to prioritizing industry as a key economic sector, Quang Yen is actively supporting large firms in expediting investment in high-end resort projects.  At the same time, the town advocates restructuring the agricultural sector in conjunction with building advanced new rural areas, maximizing all resources for synchronous infrastructure development, and upgrading urban infrastructure to become a city by 2025 and a second-class urban area by 2030.

An enabling environment for businesses

One of the key driving forces behind Quang Yen's sustained growth and development is its commitment to facilitating and supporting businesses in the most effective way possible, said Chairman Tran Duc Thang.

Accordingly, Quang Yen always defines accelerating administrative reform, improving the quality of the investment and business environment, the quality of economic management and competitiveness, creating the most favorable conditions for sustainable business development as key priority tasks. The town is active, determined and innovative to direct, manage and create synchronous participation of all levels, sectors and the entire political system in an effort to build an enabling government, link administrative reform with improving the investment and business environment. The locality takes the satisfaction of people and businesses as a measure of service. Furthermore, it actively opens many different channels to listen, create an open, friendly and intimate atmosphere between the government and investors and businesses.

Amata City Ha Long (Song Khoai Industrial Park)

In addition, the town effectively promotes localized investment promotion with many practical solutions like accompanying businesses, serving businesses from the smallest things, and creating the trust of investors and businesses. In early March 2024, Quang Yen established a working group to support and promote local investment to actively grasp information, promptly resolve recommendations and problems of investors. Thus, the town has continuously stood among the best performers in the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI) in Quang Ninh province since 2019. In 2019 and 2021, it topped all localities in the DDCI Index.

“Quang Yen recognizes that business development is integral to local progress. The town is committed to consistently supporting businesses and investors by enhancing the investment environment and facilitating opportunities for enterprises to fully leverage their development. This effort aims to expand production capabilities and drive prosperity, positioning Quang Yen as a new growth engine for Quang Ninh province and the northern key economic region," Chairman Thang asserted.

By Tran Trang, Vietnam Business Forum