Efforts to attract investment to develop border trade

Potential for border trade development

Ha Giang is a mountainous, border province with an important strategic position, especially in ensuring national defense, security, forest protection, development and water security... The province is the northern gateway, conveniently connecting with the two provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan of China, with over 277 km of border.

In addition, Ha Giang currently has 54% of trained workers; rich mineral resources in both metals and non-metals; potential for developing small and medium hydropower; and sufficient agricultural, forestry and medicinal plant raw materials to meet the development needs of the processing industry.

This place possesses rich tourism potential, scenic spots, relics, traditional festivals and historical sites, of which experiential and ecological tourism is prominent.

Ha Giang has many potentials and advantages for developing border trade. Photo: VNA

Identifying these advantages, in recent years, Ha Giang has proactively issued many plans, projects and mechanisms and policies to encourage and attract investment in developing border trade and achieved certain results.

Specifically, In the first 9 months of 2024, the total import and export turnover of goods of Ha Giang province reached 244.946 million USD, an increase of 2.82% over the same period, reaching 79.52% of the 2024 plan. Of which, exports reached 110.19 million USD, up 0.7% over the same period; imports 35.24 million USD, down 20.9% over the same period.

In September alone, total export turnover was estimated at 29.602 million USD, up 5.5% over the same period, of which, exports reached 11.583 million USD; imports reached 10.605 million USD; goods transferred through border gates were 7.411 million USD.

Main export items include: Antimony ore, yellow tea, green tea, dry black tea, peeled wood, dried chili, dried black and white pepper, green banana, fresh dragon fruit, durian, fresh lychee... Main import items include electric power, coke, cranes, hydroelectric equipment...

To achieve the target in the last 3 months of the year, the functional sectors in Ha Giang province continue to promote information and propaganda work; enhance exchanges and implementation of border trade policies; import and export policies; coordinate to promptly resolve problems arising in the process of import and export customs clearance, immigration; create favorable conditions for businesses and people of the two countries to exchange and cooperate for mutual development.

At the same time, develop import and export activities in the direction of green growth, improve productivity and competitiveness of products; focus on directing the implementation of solutions to support businesses participating in promotion activities, contacting trade counselors to expand and seek consumption markets; maintain and develop key markets.

Currently, there are 5 border markets operating in the border area, border gate area in Ha Giang province (both Vietnam and China). On the Vietnamese side, there are 2 markets operating: Xin Cai market (Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province) and Pho Bang town market (Dong Van district, Ha Giang province), both of which were spontaneously established due to the need to buy, sell, exchange goods, and visit relatives of residents on both sides of the border.

In particular, Xin Cai market is held weekly and includes about 200 - 300 people per session, the number of Chinese citizens crossing the border to enter the market each session is on average about 50 people. Pho Bang market includes about 300 - 350 people per weekly session and has about 50 Chinese citizens crossing the border to enter the market each session. Documents used to cross the border by citizens include border entry and exit passports; passports.

Although there are many potentials and advantages for developing border trade. However, the border trade infrastructure in Ha Giang still has many limitations due to the mountainous, rugged, and fragmented terrain, limited development space; small economy, agricultural economic structure is the main, difficult transport infrastructure, low-skilled human resources, low labor productivity; very difficult transport infrastructure; many areas such as border trade economy and tourism have not developed commensurate with their potential and are unsustainable.

Building specific support models

To promote the development of border trade, the Party Committee, government and people of Ha Giang province have focused on developing and submitting to the Prime Minister for approval the Ha Giang Provincial Planning in Decision No. 1339/QD-TTg dated November 13, 2023.

Trucks participating in import and export of goods at Thanh Thuy International Border Gate (Ha Giang). Photo: BHG

The planning of Ha Giang province for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1339/QD-TTg dated November 13, 2023, has identified the role and importance of economic development and border trade infrastructure. Among the three breakthroughs proposed, infrastructure development, especially transport infrastructure, urban infrastructure, border trade infrastructure, industrial park and cluster infrastructure, and digital infrastructure, is the focus.

Ha Giang province's planning clearly shows the development orientation of border gate economy and border trade, meeting the trend of opening up and international integration, transit hub, import and export of goods, exchange and development of trade, services, tourism and culture.

This is meaningful not only to help Ha Giang break through and develop, but Ha Giang also has the mission of connecting localities in the region as well as localities across the country to develop together.

Mr. Hoang Gia Long - Director of Ha Giang Department of Transport said that in recent years, along with the gradual investment, renovation and upgrading of border gate roads and regional connecting roads, Ha Giang has actively coordinated to complete the procedures to request the Ministry of Transport to submit to the Government to include in the planning of the expressway connecting Ha Giang with Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, with a length of nearly 150 km (from Thanh Thuy international border gate to IC14 intersection on Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway) and the Thanh Thuy - Tuyen Quang border gate expressway.

Although the Ha Giang Provincial Planning has been approved, the road ahead to implement the planning is extremely important and still faces many challenges and difficulties; at the same time, this is also a valuable opportunity to pave the way for Ha Giang to develop.

Many opinions say that Ha Giang needs to closely follow the directions and management of the Party, Government, and Prime Minister to promptly, synchronously, and effectively implement the province's tasks and solutions for development in the socio-economic fields, ensuring national defense and security. At the same time, strengthen cooperation and economic development links with the provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains and the Red River Delta.

Next, the important issue is to mobilize resources well for implementation. The province must maximize the resource support from the Central Government, combined with the mobilization of internal resources; at the same time, increase the mobilization of resources from outside, from organizations, business communities and people through advertising, promotion and investment attraction to implement the planning.

In the process of implementing the planning, Ha Giang needs to pay special attention to the economical and effective use of resources, especially land. Proactively research and develop breakthrough policy mechanisms; identify key points and prioritize investment in strategic projects, driving projects, projects with great spillover effects and direct impact on socio-economic development goals.

Along with that, Ha Giang needs to urgently develop a Plan to implement the planning, identify key contents, progress and resources to implement programs and projects in the planning; review, establish, adjust and deploy detailed plans and specialized technical plans according to regulations, ensuring consistency and synchronization with the provincial planning.

In addition, focus on training and developing human resources, attracting talents, promoting innovation, creativity, research, and application of science and technology in development. At the same time, focus on maintaining and promoting the unique cultural identity of Ha Giang; developing people, improving the quality of life of people; comprehensively and uniformly managing resources and protecting the environment, conserving biodiversity; proactively responding to climate change.

On the other hand, localities need to strengthen the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels, focusing on administrative reform; innovating working style and manners, tightening administrative discipline and order. In addition, focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles, creating favorable conditions for economic sectors; in which, paying special attention to promoting the development of the private economy; mobilizing and effectively using resources for rapid and sustainable development.

With the spirit of “Solidarity, democracy, discipline, innovation, development” and the aspiration to rise up, Ha Giang province will increasingly develop, successfully complete the set tasks, towards the goal that by 2030, Ha Giang province will develop greenly, uniquely, sustainably and comprehensively; contributing to creating an increasingly prosperous and happy life for the people.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/ha-giang-no-luc-thu-hut-dau-tu-phat-trien-thuong-mai-bien-gioi-353760.html