Mong Cai 'takes off' thanks to peaceful border and developed border gate

(Dan Tri) - Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh) is emerging as a dynamic region, a breakthrough, and an economic growth pole thanks to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative border and co-development with Dongxing City (China).

Over the years, Vietnam and China have always built and maintained their relationship, which has been constantly nurtured and upgraded, and has achieved many good results. Since then, people-to-people exchanges and trade between the two countries have increasingly developed and brought about many good results.

Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh) is adjacent to Dongxing, an economic zone of Guangxi Province (China). Over the years, people-to-people exchanges and trade between the two localities have been very active, in-depth and achieved positive results. To learn about the story of maintaining a peaceful border, exchanges, and cooperation for mutual development between the people of the two border localities, Dan Tri reporter had a conversation with Mr. Hoang Ba Nam, Secretary of the Mong Cai City Party Committee ( Quang Ninh ).

It can be said that to achieve positive cooperation results between border localities of Vietnam and China for socio-economic development, there are many factors, but an important factor is to maintain a peaceful, friendly and cooperative border between the two sides. So, can you tell us what Mong Cai City has done in the past to maintain a peaceful border? - In the spirit of clearly understanding, firmly grasping and skillfully applying the lesson of "using the unchanging to respond to all changes", promoting the different values ​​of geo-economics and politics , Mong Cai City has made efforts to establish, maintain and deepen friendly exchange and cooperation activities with Dongxing City, Fangcheng District (China). During the exchange and cooperation process, we always maintain a harmonious atmosphere of "warm inside, peaceful outside, maintaining stability for economic development", with activities in all fields. Specifically, we seriously and effectively implement the policies and directions of the Central Government, Quang Ninh Province, and the Memorandum of Understanding on friendly cooperation between the Provincial Party Committee and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee of the Communist Party of China annually and for the period 2022-2026.

We signed and implemented agreements to establish a strategic friendship and cooperation mechanism in various fields ( health , culture, tourism, trade, etc.) to create "strategic trust" in bilateral cooperation. The two sides regularly hold meetings, talks, and seminars to unify issues of mutual concern in the spirit of openness, equality for the people, and common development. The two sides also maintain visits and congratulations on holidays and New Year's Eve, along with field visits, dialogues, and exchanges to strengthen solidarity and friendship between the two cities. Specialized agencies, units, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations of the city regularly meet and exchange experiences in various fields with similar units of Dong Hung City. We also implement the "station - station" and "station - station" twinning model between border guards and customs forces. The two sides have twinning models at the commune level (Tran Phu ward - Tran Dong Hung town), village and area levels (Trang Vi area - Tra Co and Van Vi village - Giang Binh; Po Hen village, Hai Son with Than San village, Na Luong);...

Through cultural exchange activities, increasing understanding, creating a premise to build and consolidate trust between the two sides. Since then, we have strengthened the traditional friendship in all fields with Dongxing (China), contributing to building a peaceful, stable, cooperative and mutually developing border.

Could you tell us more specifically about the recent activities that Mong Cai City has carried out, coordinating with the other side to maintain the relationship between the two sides, maintaining a peaceful border for mutual development? - In 2023, after the Covid-19 epidemic was controlled, Mong Cai City (Vietnam) and Dongxing City, Fangcheng District (China) soon restarted and promoted cooperation activities, friendly exchanges from online to offline in a synchronous and comprehensive direction. Specifically, we have organized many talks, exchange activities, and experience exchanges in both Party diplomacy, government diplomacy , and people-to-people diplomacy. The two sides signed 7 memorandums of understanding and international agreements; exchanged and promoted import and export of goods, and coordinated to solve issues related to border embankment projects. The two sides also discussed and resolved difficulties in import and export procedures and officially launched the entry and exit function for tourists with passports through the Mong Cai (Vietnam) - Dongxing (China) border gate pair from November 2023. In addition, we successfully organized the 15th Vietnam - China International Trade - Tourism Fair (Mong Cai, Vietnam and Dongxing, China) in 2023 with the theme "Friendly Cooperation - Linking Development". The fair has a scale of over 400 booths and unique traditional economic - cultural exchange activities at the border. Exchange and cooperation activities are increasingly strong, in-depth, substantial and well-developed, enriching and promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China, becoming a strong "bridge" between the two countries and peoples.

Could you summarize the socio-economic results of Mong Cai in 2023, how do these results come from people-to-people exchange and trade activities with Chinese localities, sir? - In 2023, Mong Cai City strived to complete the set targets and tasks, 15/16 targets were achieved and exceeded the schedule. The city took advantage of the opportunity to resume customs clearance and the effectiveness of the Van Don - Mong Cai expressway to develop the socio-economy, many targets were higher than the same period (trade and services increased by 115%). Mong Cai City is a " tourist destination", in 2023 it reached over 2.5 million visitors, an increase of 130% over the same period. The total state budget revenue of Mong Cai is the highest ever, reaching nearly 5,000 billion VND, of which domestic revenue reached 2,200 billion VND, exceeding 46.7%,... The political security situation is stable, with no sudden or unexpected situations occurring in the area. Foreign affairs activities have been strengthened and deepened, becoming a "model" bright spot in the cooperation relationship in the border area between Vietnam and China. From the above results, the trust of people and businesses in Party committees and authorities at all levels has been consolidated and raised. It can be said that the appearance, stature and position of Mong Cai city are increasingly affirmed, rising to become a driving force, an economic growth pole of the province and the whole country. Achieving comprehensive and important results in all fields is because Mong Cai has taken advantage of and promoted the distinct values ​​of geo-economics and politics, strongly arousing all potentials, attracting all resources. In which, resources from effective cooperation with localities of neighboring countries make an important contribution. In 2023 alone, the city attracted 599 more import-export enterprises, bringing the total number of enterprises carrying out import-export procedures in the area to 1,028.

Also in 2023, we signed 21 economic cooperation contracts between Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises (estimated value over 15 million USD). The total import and export volume reached more than 1.6 million tons, up 71.3% over the same period; import and export turnover reached more than 4.5 million USD, reaching 100% of the plan, up 28% over the same period. At the same time, customs clearance for tourists and border residents was handled quickly, thereby attracting domestic and international tourists to the city. The city has handled procedures for nearly 4 million people entering and exiting the country.

According to the planning and development orientation of Quang Ninh, Mong Cai City will be developed into a vibrant and most developed border gate city in the region. So, what have you prepared and will Mong Cai do to implement this orientation, and how do you evaluate the trade potential with the neighboring Chinese province? - Mong Cai City is located in the economic belt of the Gulf of Tonkin, an important connection point in the "two corridors, one belt" cooperation between Vietnam and China. In the area, there is currently one international border gate with two areas: Bac Luan Bridge I, Bac Luan Bridge II. In which, Bac Luan Bridge II area connects directly with the Mong Cai - Van Don - Ha Long - Hai Phong - Hanoi expressway, an important road corridor connecting the northern provinces of Vietnam with China, creating a driving force to promote the development of regional connectivity. Currently, Mong Cai border gate has been equipped with modern and complete equipment. Border gate sectors synchronously deploy the promotion of information technology application in the implementation of electronic declaration procedures, bringing efficiency in saving human resources, improving monitoring capacity, and reducing costs for businesses. We are also researching and piloting the implementation of the Digital Border Gate model at Bac Luan II Bridge. From March 2023, the Mong Cai - Dong Hung international border gate pair (Bac Luan II Bridge area) will become a road border gate authorized to carry out procedures for importing and exporting food from Vietnam and ASEAN countries to Guangxi, China.

In addition, from December 6, 2023, Dong Hung road border gate (Bac Luan II bridge area) is allowed to carry out import procedures for 3 more agricultural products, thereby increasing import and export turnover in the city. Mong Cai city is continuing to focus on completing planning, completing infrastructure, especially driving projects to strengthen regional connectivity associated with comprehensive digital transformation, administrative reform, and improving the investment environment. We are looking for every solution to create the best, most favorable, open, and preferential conditions for trade, tourism, and service activities. In addition, we continue to propose that competent authorities speed up the progress of establishing and submitting for approval projects to build mechanisms and policies to pilot the implementation of many projects such as: Vietnam - China cross-border economic cooperation zone (Quang Ninh); Project to build Bac Luan III approach road and bridge; Planning and constructing a railway connecting Kunming (China) - Lao Cai (Vietnam) connecting with Mong Cai, Quang Ninh; opening a bilateral border gate in the km3+4 area and opening a customs clearance route for Bac Luan III bridge at the Mong Cai (Vietnam) - Dongxing (China) international border gate; Project on cooperation to promote logistics activities in the transportation sector of Mong Cai City (Vietnam) - Dongxing City (China). We believe that there is still a lot of room for Mong Cai and Dongxing to develop cooperation and trade in economics, trade and investment. The two sides have reason to be optimistic about achieving their goals and plans because they have favorable policies from the support of senior leaders of the two countries. The support and trust of the leaders of the two sides are concretized through joint statements and cooperation agreements. At the same time, we also have favorable geographical locations, similarities in cultural traditions and especially political trust from the effectiveness of comprehensive cooperation in all fields over the past years.

Design: Duc Binh

Content: Nguyen Duong

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