Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone – Bright point in economic development

Focusing on rapid development of the border gate economy is one of the five focuses in the Action Program of the Party Committee of Lang Son province for the 2020-2025 term, continues to affirm its important role, creates a driving force for growth and economic transformation of the province.

Dong Dang Border Gate Economic Zone (BGEZ) was established under Decision No. 138/2008/QD-TTg issued on October 14, 2008, with an area of 394 km sq comprising 2 international border gates (Huu Nghi road, Dong Dang railway station), 3 sub-border gates (Tan Thanh, Coc Nam, Po Nhung) with the main functional zones: Dong Dang Economic Cooperation Zone, goods transhipment zone, Export processing zone 1, Non-tariff zone (phase I). Dong Dang – Lang Son BGEZ is the Multi-functional economic zone, interwoven with defense and security factors, in which the core field is development of BGEZ.

Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone – Bright point in economic development
Friendship Border gate – Dong Dang – Lang Son Border gate Economic Zone. (Source: KLand)

Dynamic economic zone, reliable destination

It has been more than 12 years since the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 55/QD/TTg (April 28, 2008), approving the project of Dong Dang - Lang Son economic zone. Since then, it has developed into an economic quadrangle zone: Lang Son - Ha Noi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh.

By the end of 2020, there are more than 2.4 thousand operating enterprises in the economic zone, accounting for 70% of the total number of enterprises operating in the province with a registered capital of over VND 19 trillion; there are more than 12.4 thousand production and business households and over 113.1 thousand employees.

The numbers have shown the rapid development of Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone in recent years. That development has strongly promoted domestic commercial activities in the Economic Zone, forming a network of commercial - service zones with the heart to be the commercial types such as commercial centers, shopping centers and supermarkets.

In the 2016-2020 period, Dong Dang - Lang Son economic zone was chosen by the Government as one of the 9 key economic zones to focus on investing with the state budget. Over the past 5 years, the province has actively taken advantage of capital sources to focus on investing in the construction and completion of key infrastructure development projects of Dong Dang - Lang Son economic zone. Accordingly, the total investment in infrastructure construction of the BGEZ from 2016 to 2020 will reach over 16,000 billion VND, of which nearly 4,000 billion VND comes from the state budget.

In addition to investment in infrastructure construction, during this period, the province actively improved the investment environment and issued many preferential mechanisms to attract businesses to invest. Specifically, within the period 2016-2020, there were 126 domestic projects in Dong Dang - Lang Son economic zone with a total registered capital of over 13,000 billion VND and 20 foreign-invested projects, with a total registered capital of over 207 million USD.

In which, 3 functional zone projects in the BGEZ are identified as key projects to focus on attracting investment. In addition, at the border gates, there are currently 29 investment projects in wharf business with a registered capital of over 3,000 billion VND; nearly 50 investment projects in the field of trade - services with a registered investment capital of over 3,100 billion VND, meeting the requirements of commercial and service activities, storage and preservation of goods for import and export.

Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone – Bright point in economic development
Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone – Bright point in economic development in Lang Son. (Source: Quyhoachvietnam)

From 2015-2020, Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone has really been a bright spot in the economic development of the province. The economic growth rate in the BGEZ is continuously maintained at a high rate compared to the general growth rate of the province. The annual average growth rate reaches nearly 13%; the total product in the area by the end of 2020 will reach over 8 trillion VND. State budget revenue in the period 2016-2020 reached nearly 19,000 billion VND, equal to 85% of the province's revenue. Imports and exports turnover in the period 2016-2020 totally reached over 17,575 million USD, equaling 88% of the total turnover of the province.

Since the end of 2019, despite the negative impacts of Covid-19 pandemic, the province's flexible mechanisms and policies have been activated, quickly bringing investment “return” back impressively. In the first 6 months of the year, investors, contractors and related units made great efforts in preparing investment procedures, speeding up the implementation of projects, especially key projects in areas of high quality.

Acceleration and Development

If 2011-2015 term is considered as a period of momentum, 2016-2020 term is considered as an acceleration period.

The Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress determined that in the 2020-2025 period, the province needs to continue to effectively make use of its potentials and advantages, mobilize all resources to rapidly develop the border-gate economy, create motivations and promote economic growth of the province.

Synchronous solutions, from planning, constructing infrastructure, to attracting investment, should be implemented by all levels and sectors. The Dong Dang - Lang Son economic zone will clearly proves its significance as an economic motivation region, promoting the growth of the province in accordance with the goals set forth by the province.

In particular, focus needs to be put on building the infrastructure of the Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone in order to turn this area into a driving economic region of the province, striving to build Lang Son early to become one of the investment centers of the province, a key economic hub for import-export, trade, services, tourism and border-gate economy of the Northeast region, and at the same time a gateway to trade goods of ASEAN countries with the Chinese market and vice versa.

Over the past 12 years of achievements, together with the determination of the entire Party Committee, the authorities, the efforts and consensus of the people and the business community, the Border Gate Economic Zone will continue to take stronger steps in developing as new opportunities arise. Huu Nghi, Chi Ma, Tan Thanh international border gates will continue to be reliable and promising destinations for domestic and foreign investors.

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