13 special economic zones of Vietnam: Bach Long Vi special economic zone located in the middle of Bac Bo Gulf

After the administrative unit arrangement in 2025, the whole country will have 13 special economic zones, officially operating from July 1, 2025, including: Co To, Van Don (Quang Ninh); Cat Hai, Bach Long Vi (Hai Phong City); Con Co (Quang Tri); Ly Son (Quang Ngai); Hoang Sa (Da Nang City); Truong Sa (Khanh Hoa); Phu Quy (Lam Dong); Con Dao (Ho Chi Minh City); Phu Quoc, Kien Hai, Tho Chu ( An Giang ).

Heroic Special Zone

By the early 20th century, Bach Long Vi was only used by fishermen to take shelter from storms. In 1937, King Bao Dai established a guard post and implemented a village chief system on the island.

Sunset in Bach Long Vi special zone

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

On February 15, 1957, the Government issued Decree No. 049 stipulating that Bach Long Vi Island is a commune under the Hai Phong City Administrative Committee. During the period 1957 - 1959, Bach Long Vi commune belonged to Cat Hai district (Hai Phong city).

Bach Long Vi Port, 1996

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

From 1958 to 1964, there were 160 fishing households on the island and soldiers from Battalion 152, Left Bank Military Region (now Military Region 3) guarded and protected the island.

Bach Long Vi Lighthouse and other structures on the island

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

On August 5, 1964, after the "Gulf of Tonkin incident", the US expanded its war of destruction in the North and Bach Long Vi Island became the target of the attack. Following the instructions of the superiors, Hai Phong City evacuated 160 households of Bach Long Vi to Cat Ba. On the island, only soldiers and militia remained to protect the island.

Troops of Regiment 152, Naval Region 1 (now Island Defense Battalion 152, under Bach Long Vi Military Command) marching to the training ground, 1996

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

During more than 10 years of war, the army and people of Bach Long Vi steadfastly held out, bravely fought 118 battles, and shot down 23 planes. On December 31, 1973, Battalion 152 was awarded the title of Hero of the Armed Forces and Bach Long Vi Island was given the title of "heroic island".

General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Minister of National Defense (2nd from right, standing row) inspects the crew of radar station 490 (Regiment 151, Naval Region 1) on duty on Bach Long Vi island, June 15, 2025.

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

One of the greatest impressions during the war was that in early July 1965, the Ministry of National Defense sent a group of artists, shock troops, and a military film crew to work on Bach Long Vi Island for more than a month. Impressed by the indomitable fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians on the island, musician Huy Du composed the song Bach Long Vi, Homeland Island , which became a song that has endured through the years.

On the morning of November 14, 2024, General Secretary To Lam led a delegation of the Party Central Committee to visit and work in Bach Long Vi island district.

At the meeting, the General Secretary emphasized: Bach Long Vi is a gateway, controlling important international shipping routes, a logistics and transit center for military activities, and an outpost to control security and order at sea.

General Secretary To Lam visited and worked at Bach Long Vi Island, November 14, 2024

PHOTO: BHP

Based on the potential, position and advantages of Bach Long Vi, the General Secretary directed that Hai Phong City needs to think about specific plans and methods to turn this place into a fortress to protect our sea and airspace in the Gulf of Tonkin, a center for fishing logistics services, developing aquaculture and attracting tourists, as in the spirit of the Politburo's resolution.

The General Secretary suggested a number of issues for Hai Phong to study and implement, such as: Well planning military zones, economic zones and ecological zones to have a synchronous investment direction in infrastructure, ensuring close combination of socio-economic development, associated with strengthening national defense and security; strengthening national defense and security at sea and islands, paying attention to the connection of the inter-island security and defense posture; improving the quality of training, regularly conducting combat drills, search and rescue; being proactive, vigilant, and highly combat ready.

The General Secretary requested: Hai Phong City to build Bach Long Vi into a solid defense zone, ensuring political security, social order and safety; the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security and a number of related ministries and branches to summarize the strategy for developing defense economic zones in the sea and island areas, replicate the model, promote the experience and tradition of our ancestors in combining economy and defense in building and protecting the Fatherland.

Panoramic view of Bach Long Vi special zone, seen from above

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Regarding the development of the marine economy of Bach Long Vi Island, the General Secretary emphasized: It is necessary to closely follow Resolution 45 of the Politburo on the development of Hai Phong City to 2030, with a vision to 2045. Hai Phong must be determined to build Bach Long Vi Island into a logistics center for fisheries and search and rescue at sea in the northern region, develop high-end seafood farming, develop high-end resort tourism associated with the conservation of marine ecosystems.

Special zone bears the mark of youth volunteers

On December 9, 1992, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet signed Decree No. 15 establishing Bach Long Vi district under Hai Phong city. Due to its special role in national defense and security, the island does not have a commune-level administrative unit and a representative office of Bach Long Vi district was established at 24 Ho Xuan Huong, Minh Khai ward, Hong Bang district, Hai Phong city.

Island Run, 2013

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On January 8, 1993, Mr. Dao An (Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee) signed a temporary decision on a number of policies for cadres, civil servants, youth volunteers and volunteer households to build Bach Long Vi district.

Youth volunteer couple Hau - Huyen and their son Anh Duc on Bach Long Vi island, 1996

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

At the end of February 1993, the Hai Phong Economic Construction Youth Volunteer Team established the Bach Long Vi District Construction Youth Volunteer Team consisting of 62 cadres and team members (32 men, 30 women), led by Mr. Nguyen Nhung (Deputy Director of Enterprise 26.3). On February 25, 1993, the team held its first departure ceremony to Bach Long Vi Island with 32 cadres and team members.

Bach Long Vi special economic zone port today

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

On June 23, 2025, Mr. Le Tien Chau (Secretary of Hai Phong City Party Committee) signed a decision on appointing the Standing Committee, Secretary, and Deputy Secretary of the Bach Long Vi Special Zone Party Committee.

According to the decision, Mr. Bui Trung Tien (former Secretary of Bach Long Vi District Party Committee) is the Secretary of Bach Long Vi Special Zone Party Committee. Mr. Dao Minh Dong (former Deputy Secretary of District Party Committee, Chairman of Bach Long Vi District People's Committee) is the Deputy Secretary of Party Committee, Chairman of Bach Long Vi Special Zone People's Committee.

The burden of protecting sovereignty

In March 1993, a delegation of senior officials from the National Defense and Security Committee of the National Assembly (9th tenure) led by Lieutenant General Le Minh Huong, Deputy Minister of the Interior (later Senior Lieutenant General, Politburo member, Minister of the Interior - now the Ministry of Public Security), surveyed the Bach Long Vi area.

Bach Long Vi Border Guard Station soldiers on patrol duty, 2022

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Three months later, the Minister of the Interior issued a decision to assign the Hai Phong Border Guard to establish Border Guard Station 58 - Bach Long Vi. Immediately after coming into operation, the Bach Long Vi Border Guard focused on fighting against Chinese fishing vessels violating sovereignty, going deep into Bach Long Vi waters to illegally exploit seafood (especially abalone).

Troops of Regiment 152, Naval Region 4 (now Battalion 152, Bach Long Vi Military Command) patrolling to protect the island, 2013

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In December 2000, the Government signed the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin and the Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation with the Government of the People's Republic of China. After this time, the border guards coordinated with the coast guard, fisheries surveillance, and navy to chase away thousands of Chinese fishing boats that violated Vietnam's sovereignty, deep in the waters of Bach Long Vi.

The army and people of Bach Long Vi welcomed General Secretary To Lam and the Central working delegation to visit the island, November 14, 2024

PHOTO: BHP

During 2005-2006, the border guards coordinated with radar station 490 (Navy Region 1) to detect 34,476 Chinese fishing boats operating around Bach Long Vi area (of which 4,339 boats violated sovereignty and illegally caught seafood) and chased away 1,874 boats.

Fisheries surveillance fleet on duty to protect sovereignty in Bach Long Vi special zone waters

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

In recent years, the task of protecting sovereignty over the Bach Long Vi sea area has been given top priority. On the island, in addition to the Bach Long Vi island defense battalion, there is also air defense radar station 27 (Regiment 295, Division 363, Air Defense - Air Force), sea surveillance radar station 490 (Regiment 151, Navy Region 1), Coast Guard Station 1 (Coast Guard Region 1), Bach Long Vi Border Guard Station and professional units of the Ministry of National Defense, Navy, Air Defense - Air Force, etc.

Bach Long Vi Special Zone has a natural area of 2.33 km2 ^, 110 km from Hon Dau (Hai Phong City), 70 km from Ha Mai Island (Van Don Special Zone, Quang Ninh). This is the farthest island from the shore of Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin, nearly 28 km from the demarcation line of the Gulf of Tonkin between Vietnam and China.

The people of the special zone mainly work in fishing and fishing logistics services; when the sea is rough, many ships and boats enter the harbor for shelter.

Since its establishment (1992) up to now, the special zone has invested in the construction of over 60 works and projects, closely linked to the implementation of national defense and security tasks, firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Bach Long Vi Special Zone

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

In addition to 120 households living in 4 residential areas on the island, Bach Long Vi special zone also has armed forces units, civil servants, special zone officials and officers, workers and employees in the sectors of maritime security, search and rescue, transportation, electricity, hydrometeorology, construction, etc.

On the island there are Bach Long Pagoda, Tran Hung Dao Temple, Martyrs Temple, Youth Volunteer Flagpole and tourist facilities.

In 2020, Hai Phong City put into operation the Hoa Phuong Do ship to transport passengers and goods from Dong Hai 1 port (Hai An) to Bach Long Vi and vice versa. With a frequency of 3 trips/month, the ability to withstand level 7 waves - level 9 winds, the Hoa Phuong Do ship has helped the army and people of Bach Long Vi escape the situation of having to depend on fishing boats, transport ships, and military ships. Shortening travel time from dozens of hours to 5 hours.