At the Mong Cai International Border Gate (Photo: VNA)

Building infrastructure, luring investment, and operating border gates on digital platforms are the focuses of northern provinces to develop local border gates into key economic zones and ensure border security and defense.

Quang Ninh province, home to three border economic zones of Mong Cai, Hoanh Mo – Dong Van and Bac Phong Sinh, has carried out a breakthrough strategy on developing modern transport infrastructure, thus facilitating trade exchanges and economic development in zones.

The Van Don – Mong Cai Highway was put into operation two years ago, forming a network that connects Lao Cai, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Van Don and Mong Cai, and links Lao Cai and Mong Cai International Border Gates with China’s Hekou and Dongxing ones.

Meanwhile, the border gate economic zone in Lang Son province has attracted 154 domestic and foreign projects worth over 738 million USD since 2016, most of which are in the area of infrastructure development, meeting the demand of trade exchanges in the border areas.

In Cao Bang province, nearly 300 billion VND from the State budget was injected into its border gates for the construction of essential infrastructure during 2021-2023, helping the locality lure 54 domestic and foreign projects.

As State capital has also been arranged for the development of the border gate economic areas in Ha Giang and Lai Chau provinces, they have seen robust trade activities and better State budget collection.

However, several localities are facing challenges in developing economy at their border gates, including poor transport connectivity between Ha Giang and economic hubs, and import-export procedures in Cao Bang province.

Earlier, the Prime Minister agreed to select eight key border gate economic zones to receive state budget for development in the 2021-2025 period. They are Mong Cai, Dong Dang-Lang Son, Lao Cai, and Cao Bang border gate economic zones in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Lao Cai, and Cao Bang, respectively.

Also on the radar for development is the Cau Treo international border gate economic zone in the central province of Ha Tinh, the Lao Bao special economic-trade zone in the central province of Quang Tri, the Moc Bai border gate economic zone in the southern province of Tay Ninh, and the Mekong Delta province of An Giang’s border gate economic zone.