Ha Long Bay connects to Cat Ba, ending the 'separatism' of heritage?

The Government Office has just issued Document No. 4877/VPCP-KGVX conveying Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha's opinion on the recommendation of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) regarding the dossier "Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago" to request UNESCO to register as a World Heritage Site.

Cua Van fishing village on Ha Long Bay

Specifically, considering the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on June 12 regarding the recommendations of IUCN for the nomination dossier of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago to UNESCO for inclusion in the list of World Heritage, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested the People's Committee of Hai Phong City to preside over and coordinate with the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province to urgently study the recommendations of IUCN to review and update the heritage nomination dossier and have a suitable explanatory report, send it to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for synthesis.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall preside over and closely coordinate with the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO to direct and guide the People's Committee of Hai Phong City and the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province to complete the explanatory reports and supplement and complete the nomination dossier according to regulations; promptly send it to IUCN to ensure that it does not affect the plan and progress of the review and evaluation of the World Heritage Committee.

In addition, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinates with relevant ministries and agencies to guide localities with world heritage sites in proposing, establishing and appraising projects in heritage areas in the coming time, ensuring to avoid risks affecting the outstanding global value of world heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, in accordance with Vietnamese law and guidelines for implementing the 1972 Convention.

The Government's request for the two localities of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh to complete the dossier to nominate the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago heritage complex for recognition as a World Heritage Site is expected by businesses to end the "separatist" heritage situation that has been going on for a long time.

Hai Phong's ship illegally organizing tours to Ha Long Bay was once reported by Thanh Nien Newspaper.

Quang Ninh has Ha Long Bay, Hai Phong has Lan Ha Bay, but currently there is no tour connecting these two beautiful bays. Tourists from Hai Phong to Quang Ninh must buy tickets from Tuan Chau port because there is no direct journey. On the contrary, tourists from Ha Long to Hai Phong must take a speedboat to the cruise ships anchored at Gia Luan.

Due to the lack of connection, recently, cruise ships from Hai Phong have organized "illegal" tours to Ha Long Bay, which poses a high risk of insecurity.

Cat Ba archipelago in Hai Phong city has 367 islands, ranked as a special national scenic spot in 2013. Meanwhile, in 2000, Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage. These are two adjacent areas with quite similar natural landscapes.

In 2013, Hai Phong City People's Committee prepared a dossier to nominate Cat Ba archipelago as a World Natural Heritage site based on biodiversity criteria. However, UNESCO recommended extending Cat Ba archipelago with Ha Long Bay to form a heritage complex. In 2016, IUCN issued a document confirming the need to extend Ha Long Bay with Cat Ba archipelago to build a dossier to nominate for World Heritage.

In 2021, the Government assigned the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to carry out the necessary procedures to submit the nomination dossier for Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago heritage to UNESCO.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/vinh-ha-long-noi-thong-cat-ba-cham-dut-cat-cu-di-san-185230704083214448.htm