Vietnam's special economic zones: Co To - Fence of the Gulf of Tonkin

The Co To Special Zone, with its ancient name of Chang Son, was a shelter for fishing boats from the Northeast. To deal with pirates, in 1841, the Nguyen Dynasty established the Huong Hoa garrison to guard and protect fishermen.

In early 1954, Co To was a commune of Mong Cai district and then people (mainly Chinese) gathered to live and work in the Co To - Thanh Lan archipelago. Since late 1978, due to various reasons, the Chinese here returned to China, leaving only 10% of the island's population, all activities have declined.

At the end of March 1994, Co To district was officially established. By May 2025, the population of Co To district was over 7,000 people, living concentrated in Co To town, Thanh Lan commune, Dong Tien commune and scattered on several small islands.

Statue of President Ho Chi Minh on Co To Island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

On June 16, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed Resolution No. 1679/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units of Quang Ninh province in 2025. Accordingly, the entire natural area and population of Co To town, Dong Tien commune and Thanh Lan commune will become Co To special zone.

Co To Special Zone has an area of 5,368 hectares and a population of 7,151 people. The organizational structure after the arrangement includes the Party Committee, the special zone government, and the Fatherland Front .

The main working headquarters of the Party Committee and People's Committee of the special zone is the headquarters of the District Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee of Co To district (old).

Co To, seen from the sea

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

The headquarters of the Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Dong Tien and Thanh Lan communes (old) are the headquarters of the Public Administration Service Center, the Special Zone Representative Office, and are partly used by the police and military.

According to the personnel decisions of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee: Ms. Le Ngoc Han (former Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Co To District) holds the position of Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Co To Special Zone. The position of Chairman of the People's Committee of Co To Special Zone is assigned to Mr. Vu Danh Ha.

Speedboat takes tourists from the mainland to visit Co To Island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Co To passenger wharf, seen from above

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Co To Lighthouse

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

After merging provinces and cities, the country has 13 special economic zones, operating new administrative units from July 1: Co To, Van Don (Quang Ninh), Cat Hai, Bach Long Vy (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 (HCMC), Phu Quoc, Kien Hai and Tho Chau (An Giang)

Especially on defense and security

Co To is the locality with the longest sea border with China (nearly 200 km, from Tran Island to the east of Bach Long Vi Island, Hai Phong City), so it has a special role in national defense.

General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member and Minister of National Defense, visited and worked at Tran Island (Co To), June 2024

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Up to now, Co To special zone has 3 border posts (only after Phu Quoc special zone of An Giang province has 5 posts) in important locations: Co To border post, Thanh Lan border post and especially Tran island border post in the area known as "Truong Sa of the Northeast region".

Co To Island Ship Lock Breakwater

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

On the islands of the special zone (Tran, Thanh Lan, and Co To islands), there are also mixed battalions of the 242nd Island Defense Brigade (Military Region 3) stationed in key areas, performing protection duties and being ready for combat.

Green forest, blue sea Co To

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

In particular, for many years now, the Ministry of National Defense has maintained radar station 480 belonging to Regiment 151, Naval Region 1. This is a unit that monitors, detects and manages targets in the Northern sea area, using modern equipment...

Officers and soldiers of radar station 480 (Regiment 151, Naval Region 1) at the flagpole of Tran island

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Because Co To special zone has nearly 50 large and small islands (3 large islands: Co To island, Thanh Lan island and Tran island), near the country's major seafood fishing grounds and 30 km from the Hai Phong - Bac Hai international shipping route, the task of managing and protecting sovereignty at sea is always put first.

National flag raising ceremony on Co To Island, on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Co To Island (May 9, 1961 - May 9, 2025)

PHOTO: BQN

There were times when Chinese exploration and survey ships continuously operated illegally in Vietnam's territorial waters, bordering Co To's internal waters, so authorities had to mobilize many means to fight and repel them.

In addition, some Chinese fishing boats also illegally fished deep into Co To waters, forcing local authorities to focus on chasing them away.

Currently, in the Co To sea area, there are always ships on duty to protect sovereignty of the coast guard, fisheries surveillance, navy and border guards.

Officers and soldiers of Ma Chau Border Control Station (Thanh Lan Border Station) patrol and control the island.

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Some pictures of Co To special economic zone (Quang Ninh)

Construction of Co To port started in 1997.

PHOTO: BQN

National flag raising ceremony on Thanh Lan island, Co To, May 2025

PHOTO: BQN

Salute the national flag on Tran Island, Co To, May 2025

PHOTO: BQN

Hon Bo Cat belongs to Tran island village, Co To

PHOTO: QUYNH ANH

Co To - the city next to the sea

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Electric car picks up passengers at Co To port

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Cao Fort relic on Co To island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Co To Special Economic Zone Center

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

One of the strengths of Co To special economic zone is seafood fishing.

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Tourists swimming in Co To beach

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Rice fields on Co To island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Not only focusing on sea tourism, Co To also exploits the strengths of community tourism on the islands of the special zone.

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Panoramic view of Co To island, viewed from the east

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Sea Smile

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Buying seafood on Co To island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

The elderly on Co To Island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Children on Co To Island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

In early 1954, the authorities of Thanh Lan and Co To communes belonged to Mong Cai district. On July 16, 1964, both communes were merged into Cam Pha district.

On May 9, 1961, President Ho Chi Minh visited Co To, and this was the first place to erect a statue of President Ho Chi Minh while he was still alive.

On March 23, 1994, the Government separated Thanh Lan and Co To communes to establish Co To district. On December 24, 1994, on Co To Lon island, the ceremony to receive the decree was solemnly held and Co To island district was officially born.

Since 2001, the district has called on the private sector to build three more large-capacity wooden boats, shortening the travel time from the mainland to the island to four hours. By 2006, a private high-speed boat with a capacity of 120 passengers was developed, reducing the travel time to the island to 1.5 hours.

To date, there have been over 30 high-speed boats of all kinds connecting Ao Tien, Cai Rong (Van Don), Tuan Chau (Ha Long), Vung Duc (Cam Pha) ports to Co To. In July 2023, a commercial seaplane route connecting Tuan Chau Island to Co To was officially launched to transport tourists.

In 2012, the leaders of Co To district proposed to extend the power grid from the mainland to the island. After 350 days of construction (October 16, 2013), the project to extend the power grid by underground cable to the first offshore island district in the country (costing over 1,100 billion VND), was officially completed to the joy of the people of Co To.

The event of connecting the national grid to Co To Lon Island (October 16, 2013), Thanh Lan Island (December 31, 2013), Tran Island (September 2, 2020) along with the synchronous investment in the construction of dual-use projects, has completely changed Co To.

After more than 31 years of establishment, from an agricultural and fishery district, it has strongly shifted to services. Tourism has become a key economic sector, accounting for nearly 70% of the economic structure. In recent years, Co To has welcomed over 300,000 tourists annually, a 10-fold increase compared to before 2013.

During the April 30 - May 1, 2025 holiday, Co To island district welcomed more than 20,000 visitors (an increase of nearly 25% over the same period last year), affirming Co To's position as one of the ideal island destinations in the North.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cac-dac-khu-cua-viet-nam-co-to-phen-dau-vinh-bac-bo-185250625220042779.htm