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Vietnam: Quang Ninh prepares for Van Don special administrative, economic unit

The Hanoitimes – The northern province of Quang Ninh is actively investing to complete traffic infrastructure and calling for more investment in service, tourism and high-tech projects to prepare for the establishment of its Van Don special administrative, economic unit.
Nguyen Manh Tuan, Head of Management Board of Quang Ninh Economic Zone, announced at a recent conference that the province’s authorities have so far invited the world’s leading planning consultants and experts to cooperate in studying and proposing measures to help Van Don develop modernly, synchronously and feasibly with ensuring regional connection and having a global competitiveness.
According to Tuan, Van Don is targeted to be a green, modern and smart island urban area with a dynamic economic center that develops new occupations at high level, focusing on services, high-grade tourism and modern entertainment industry.
The area will be also designed to become a center of innovation and creation besides being an international trade center lying in the China-ASEAN economic corridor, Tuan said.
In the first phase (2018-2022), the Van Don special administrative, economic unit project will focus on casino entertainment tourism, seaport, aviation, trade, international shopping centers, innovation technology, and start-up centers, while the second phase (2023-2026) will feature parks, fisheries, aquatic processing, logistics services, education and training, financial services, and healthcare. The third phase of the project (2027-2030) will aim at biological technology, green technology, and hi-tech agriculture.
The construction of many projects worth a total VND61 trillion (US$2.7 billion) is scheduled to be launched this year in the area.
The large-scale tourism projects include the Sonasea Dragon Bay tourism complex in Ha Long commune worth VND5 trillion of the CEO Group, the Furama Ha Long Viet Nam Resort & Villas worth VND1.12 trillion invested by Viglacera corporation and a tourism complex and heritage road in Van Don, which will be built at an estimated investment of VND5 trillion.
A luxury resort and entertainment complex on Ngoc Vung island of FLC Group will also be launched, with investment of VND46 trillion, as well as a project on urban and port areas in northern Cai Bau island costing about VND3.5 trillion.
Upon their completion, the projects are expected to create a foundation for the development of the Van Don Special Administrative – Economic Unit, along with other projects of the province, including the Hai Phong – Ha Long – Van Don Expressway and Van Don international airport.
Van Don is a district comprising more than 600 islands. It is approximately 175 km from Ha Noi, 80 km from the northern port city of Hai Phong and 50 km from Ha Long city. It boasts rich ecosystems, beautiful beaches and islands, with potential to become a world-class maritime tourism destination.
The government has decided to initially develop three special administrative, economic units – Van Don in northern Quang Ninh province, Bac Van Phong in central Khanh Hoa province and Phu Quoc in southern Kien Giang province.
Special administrative-economic units are magnets for investment, high technology and advanced management modes, aiming to form a high growth area that accelerates local economic restructuring and development.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment, which is in charge of drafting the Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units, expects that with preferential incentives, the three special zones will attract investment worth dozens of billions of dollars, generating huge sums in terms of added value.
It estimated that the special zones will contribute billions of US dollars in taxes and fees to the State budget.
Source: http://www.hanoitimes.vn/investment/2018/01/81E0C0B1/quang-ninh-prepares-for-van-don-special-administrative-economic-unit/