The Resolution of the 17th Lang Son Provincial Party Congress defines: In 2020 - 2025, it is necessary to effectively tap local potential and advantages, and engage all resources for rapid and sustainable development. To enact this resolution, on November 6, 2020, the Provincial Party Committee issued an action program where the border gate economy will be focused for rapid development and create a driving force for economic growth of the province.” Vietnam Business Forum’s reporter has an exclusive interview with Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board, about working results and development plans for the coming time.

After the momentum-generating period, 2016-2020 was considered an accelerating stage for Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone. Could you please briefly introduce some remarkable results of investment promotion and attraction in the economic zone in the past five years?

Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone achieved positive investment attraction results in the past five years. By the end of 2020, the economic zone had 122 effective domestic projects with total registered capital of over VND12,700 billion (US$600 million) and 20 foreign-invested projects with total registered capital of US$207 million, accounting for 67% of projects and 88% of investment value in Lang Son province.

Three functional areas in the economic zone are defined as prioritized key projects (VND3,299-billion cargo transshipment zone, VND1,034 billion export processing zone, and VND700 billion Phuc Khang factory). Besides, there are 29 warehousing projects (VND3,033.8 billion) and 48 trade and service investment projects (over VND3,100 billion) in border gates to meet trade, service, storage and preservation of imports and exports. These projects also paid taxes and fees to the State Budget.

Could you please tell us more details about how the infrastructure system in Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone helps businesses and investors to research, study and carry out projects?

The infrastructure systems in the economic zones in general and border gates in particular are invested and upgraded synchronously to facilitate trade, service, import and export development of the country across the province. The State budget funded over VND3,100 billion in this 5-year period, including Huu Nghi Border Gate Building, the transport route through landmark 1119-1120, Road and Bridge 17/10, export and import roads, the junction from Tan Thanh Border Gate to Kefeng Control Zone (China), Na Sam - Na Hinh Road, Ban Ly - Binh Do - Dao Vien Road and Huu Nghi - Bao Lam Road.

Based on the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress, what solutions and directions did the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board adopt to realize these goals? Where is the board now calling for investment capital?

Based on Action Program 04-CTr-TU dated November 6, 2020 of the Executive Board of the Provincial Party Committee on implementation of the Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress (2020 - 2025 term), the Management Board worked with relevant bodies to figure out a draft plan for continued focus on rapid development of the border-gate economy and create a driving force for economic growth in the 2021- 2025 period.

Moreover, the Management Board proposed mechanisms and policies to attract investors of economic zone infrastructure and target industries. Specifically, the board studied mechanisms and policies to support site clearance (State-funded support for infrastructure construction in resettlement areas, site clearance for investment projects); built mechanisms for administration and operation of functional areas after investing in completing technical infrastructure to put into operation and use; and introduced financial advance and loan guarantee policy for key and essential projects that need to be accelerated.

Covering 394 km2, Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone is defined as a key economic drive for urbanization, industry, trade and service development, and to march forward with the northern key economic zone. Then, the Lang Son - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh key economic quadrilateral axis will be established.

As for investment into sectors, the board focused on attracting investment funds for urban development; waste collection, treatment, recycling and reuse; and logistics infrastructure, including a 75-ha inland clearance depot at Km 22+500 on National Highway 1A, exhibition and trade centers in Hoang Dong, Lang Son City.