Efforts to attract investment to develop border trade.

Potential for developing border trade

Ha Giang is a mountainous, border province with a strategically important location, especially in ensuring national defense and security, protecting and developing forests, and ensuring water security. The province serves as a northern gateway, conveniently connecting with the two Chinese provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan, with over 277 km of border.

In addition, Ha Giang currently has 54% of its workforce trained; abundant mineral resources, both metallic and non-metallic; potential for developing small and medium-sized hydropower; and sufficient agricultural, forestry, and medicinal plant raw materials to support the development of the processing industry.

This area possesses rich tourism potential, including scenic spots, historical sites, traditional festivals, and historical landmarks, with experiential and ecotourism being particularly prominent.

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

Recognizing these advantages, in recent years, Ha Giang has proactively issued many plans, projects, and mechanisms and policies to encourage and attract investment in the development of border trade, achieving certain results.

Specifically, In the first nine months of 2024, the total value of goods exports and imports of Ha Giang province reached US$244.946 million, an increase of 2.82% compared to the same period last year, achieving 79.52% of the 2024 plan. Specifically, exports reached $110.19 million, an increase of 0.7% compared to the same period last year; imports totaled $35.24 million, a decrease of 20.9% compared to the same period last year.

In September alone, total export turnover is estimated at 29,602 million USD, an increase of 5.5% compared to the same period last year, of which exports reached 11,583 million USD; imports reached 10,605 million USD; and goods transferred through border gates amounted to 7,411 million USD.

Main export items include: Antimony ore, dried yellow tea, green tea, dried black tea, veneer, dried chili peppers, dried black and white pepper, green bananas, fresh dragon fruit, durian, fresh lychee… Main import items include electricity, coke, cranes, and hydroelectric equipment…

To effectively achieve the goals for the last three months of the year, functional agencies in Ha Giang province will continue to strengthen information and communication work; enhance exchange and implementation of border trade policies; import and export policies; coordinate to promptly resolve difficulties arising during customs clearance and import/export, and entry/exit procedures; and create favorable conditions for businesses and people of both countries to interact, cooperate and develop together.

At the same time, promote the development of import and export activities towards green growth, improving productivity and competitiveness of goods; focus on directing the implementation of solutions to support businesses in participating in promotional activities and contacting trade attachés to expand and find consumer markets; maintain and develop key markets.

Currently, there are five active border markets in the border area and border gate areas of Ha Giang province (both Vietnam and China). On the Vietnamese side, there are two active markets: Xin Cai market (Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province) and Pho Bang town market (Dong Van district, Ha Giang province), both established spontaneously due to the needs of buying, selling, exchanging goods, and visiting relatives between residents on both sides of the border.

Specifically, the Xin Cai market is held weekly and attracts approximately 200-300 people per session, with an average of about 50 Chinese citizens crossing the border to enter the market each session. The Pho Bang market attracts approximately 300-350 people per session and attracts around 50 Chinese citizens crossing the border each session. The documents used by these citizens to cross the border include border crossing permits and passports.

Despite its potential and advantages for developing border trade, Ha Giang's border trade infrastructure remains limited due to its mountainous, rugged, and fragmented terrain, restricted development space, small economy , predominantly agricultural structure, difficult transportation infrastructure, low-skilled workforce, and low labor productivity. Furthermore, many sectors such as border trade and tourism have not developed proportionally to their potential and lack sustainability.

Develop 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 the Ha Giang Provincial Planning to the Prime Minister for approval in Decision No. 1339/QD-TTg dated November 13, 2023.

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

The Ha Giang Provincial Planning for the period 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 developing the border economy and trade infrastructure. Among the three breakthroughs outlined, the development of infrastructure, especially transportation infrastructure, urban infrastructure, border gate trade infrastructure, industrial park and cluster infrastructure, and digital infrastructure, is a key focus.

The Ha Giang provincial planning clearly reflects the development orientation for border gate economy and border trade, meeting the trend of openness and international integration, serving as a transit hub for import and export of goods, and facilitating the development of trade, services, tourism, and culture.

This is significant not only for helping Ha Giang to break through and develop, but also because Ha Giang has the mission of connecting localities in the region as well as localities throughout the country to develop together.

According to Mr. Hoang Gia Long, Director of the Ha Giang Department of Transport, over the past few years, along with gradually investing in, renovating, and upgrading roads leading to border gates and regional connecting roads, Ha Giang has actively coordinated to complete the procedures to request the Ministry of Transport to submit to the Government the inclusion in the planning of a highway connecting Ha Giang with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, with a length of nearly 150 km (from Thanh Thuy international border gate to the IC14 interchange on the 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 implementing the plan is extremely important and fraught with challenges and difficulties; at the same time, this is also a valuable opportunity to pave the way for Ha Giang's development.

Many opinions suggest that Ha Giang needs to closely follow the directives and guidance of the Party, Government, and Prime Minister to promptly, synchronously, and effectively implement the province's tasks and solutions for development in socio-economic fields and ensure national defense and security. At the same time, it should strengthen cooperation and economic development linkages with provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region and the Red River Delta region.

Next, the crucial issue is to effectively mobilize resources for implementation. The province must maximize support from the central government, combined with the mobilization of internal resources; at the same time, it must strengthen the mobilization of external resources from organizations, the business community, and the people through promotion, marketing, and attracting investment to implement the plan.

During the planning process, Ha Giang needs to pay special attention to the economical and efficient use of resources, especially land. It should proactively research and develop breakthrough policies and mechanisms; identify key priorities and focus investments on strategic projects, driving projects with significant ripple effects, and those that directly impact socio-economic development goals.

In addition, Ha Giang needs to urgently develop a plan for implementing the master plan, identifying key contents, timelines, and resources for implementing programs and projects within the plan; review, prepare, adjust, and implement detailed plans and specialized technical plans according to regulations, ensuring consistency and synchronization with the provincial plan.

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

On the other hand, localities need to strengthen the leadership and guidance of Party committees and government at all levels, focusing on administrative reform; innovating working styles and methods, and tightening administrative discipline and order. In addition, they should focus on removing difficulties and obstacles, creating favorable conditions for all economic sectors; with particular attention to promoting the development of the private economy; and mobilizing and effectively utilizing resources for rapid and sustainable development.

With the spirit of "Unity, democracy, discipline, innovation, and development" and a strong aspiration to progress, Ha Giang province will continue to develop, successfully fulfilling its set tasks, aiming for a green, distinctive, sustainable, and comprehensive development by 2030; contributing to a more prosperous and happy life for its people.

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