The old Thanh Dong and the modern city

Bach Dang Park ( Hai Duong Ward) at night. Photo: PHUNG BAN

Glorious tradition

Although the name only remains in memory, on the occasion of the 221st anniversary of the founding of Thanh Dong (1804 - 2025) and the 71st anniversary of the city's liberation (October 30, 1954 - May 30, 2025), the people of the former Hai Duong city are once again filled with emotion and pride in the glorious traditions of this land throughout different periods and stages of history.

During the Le Dynasty, the administrative center of Hai Duong was Van Citadel (formerly Chi Linh city), later moved to Mao Dien (formerly Cam Giang), and then to Han town. At that time, Han town was the confluence of the Han Giang and Ke Sat rivers, encompassing the villages of Han Giang, Han Thuong, and Binh Lao. Here, in 1804, the Nguyen Dynasty built a strong fortress named Thanh Dong, laying the initial foundation for the later development of Hai Duong city.

For over two centuries, Thanh Dong has always embodied a spirit of resilience in struggle and a strong will to rise up and a burning desire for development. Since the Party's leadership, it quickly became a cradle of the revolutionary movement. In August 1938, the first Party branch of Hai Duong town was established at 17 Dong Mon Street. From this nucleus arose a vibrant, powerful, and widespread revolutionary movement of the masses, including rallies, marches, demonstrations of force, and the destruction of Japanese grain warehouses. The pinnacle was the uprising to seize power in the town on August 17, 1945.

In 1946, the French colonialists returned to invade our country. Responding to President Ho Chi Minh 's call, "We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, we would rather die than be enslaved," the people and soldiers of Hai Duong town bravely rose up and achieved many resounding victories. Many fierce battles took place at the Agricultural Street, the Bottle Factory, and the Girls' School…

The army and people of Hai Duong town united to fight hundreds of battles, large and small, destroying enemy outposts, disrupting enemy control, ambushing and blocking enemy supply lines, killing and capturing nearly 3,500 enemy soldiers. They destroyed hundreds of tons of weapons, ammunition, and war equipment, leaving their mark as the "Thunderbolt on Highway 5" and contributing to the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu, "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth."

At 8:00 AM on October 30, 1954, as the last French colonial soldier crossed the Phu Luong bridge, a long, resounding whistle blew from the roof of the Hoa Binh cinema. The entire town of Hai Duong erupted in cheers, welcoming our troops who had liberated the area... On October 30, 1954, the town of Hai Duong was completely liberated.

The old Hai Duong city area was a peaceful urban center. Photo: THANH CHUNG

During the war against the US, Hai Duong town held a strategically important position, serving as a vital transportation hub connecting the capital Hanoi with the port city of Hai Phong and other provinces in the region. Many locations, such as Phu Luong Bridge, the Grinding Stone Factory, the Porcelain Factory, and Hai Duong Railway Station, became targets of intense bombing by the US Air Force.

The soldiers and people of Hai Duong town bravely and resolutely stood firm amidst the rain of bombs and bullets, both directly participating in combat on the battlefields and dedicating their manpower and resources to supporting the fronts, for the sake of their beloved South Vietnam. The soldiers and people of Hai Duong town, together with the rest of the country, wrote an epic of victory against the American invaders, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign on April 30, 1975.

Since gaining national independence, with a tradition of unity, cooperation, and solidarity, along with a spirit of hard work, dynamism, creativity, and high determination, the Party Committee and people of Hai Duong City have achieved great and proud accomplishments, contributing to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland.

In 1997, Hai Duong town became a type III urban area under the provincial administration and was officially designated a city by the Government. After 12 years of effort, in 2009, the Prime Minister recognized Hai Duong City as a type II urban area. In 2019, the city was recognized as a type I urban area, marking a major turning point in its construction and development process.

Turning a new page in history.

After 221 years of formation and development, the ancient land of Thanh Dong has made remarkable progress. Before the implementation of the two-tiered local government system, Hai Duong City expanded significantly in scale and stature. From an area of 0.35 ^km² with approximately 1,000 people in the past, Hai Duong City has become a Class I urban area with an area of over 111 ^km² , a population of over 300,000 people, and 25 administrative units.

The merger of Hai Duong province with Hai Phong city became a historical milestone. Photo: THANH CHUNG

On June 12, 2025, the National Assembly passed a resolution merging the entire natural area and population of Hai Duong province into Hai Phong city. This is a historic decision.

Hai Duong City, formerly comprising 24 communes and wards, has been merged into 9 new wards: Hai Duong, Le Thanh Nghi, Viet Hoa, Thanh Dong, Nam Dong, Tan Hung, Thach Khoi, Tu Minh, and Ai Quoc.

After merging with Hai Phong, the former Hai Duong city area and the entire western region have the opportunity to become a new economic growth pole thanks to the combined strengths of Hai Phong's seaport and the processing industry of the former Hai Duong, attracting large FDI investments and enhancing competitiveness in the market.

Faced with new opportunities, the former Hai Duong city area has received special attention in terms of infrastructure and transportation investment. A prime example is the East-West connecting road to Hai Phong city, approximately 23.5 km long, with a total investment of about 19,128 billion VND, currently undergoing construction procedures. Upon completion, the road will not only connect transportation but also serve as a strategic development axis, directly linking with existing major arteries, seamlessly connecting with the old Hai Duong city's Ring Road 1, the Capital Region's Ring Road 5, the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway, and the Hai Phong port area. This will create regional linkages, develop industrial zones, urban areas, commercial services, and exploit the potential and land resources on both sides of the road.

Thanh Dong has now become a modern urban area within the new Hai Phong city complex. Photo: THANH CHUNG

The Lien Hong new urban area and golf course project in Thach Khoi ward, with a total estimated investment of over 11,035 billion VND and a land use scale of over 126 hectares, is also currently being implemented. The project is expected to create a scenic highlight for the satellite urban area of Hai Phong city. The AEON Hai Duong Shopping Center project, covering 3.5 hectares in Thach Khoi ward, is also underway and is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2026…

Along with creating new drivers of development, expanding the administrative unit also facilitates better solutions to environmental pollution issues, waste collection and treatment, social welfare issues, and national security and defense.

In the face of these historical changes, the people of Thanh Dong have demonstrated flexible adaptation, from shifts in mindset to ways of connecting socially. Despite the new name and administrative boundaries, the spirit and cultural identity of Thanh Dong will be preserved and continue to shine. The generations of people from Thanh Dong of the past, and the city of Hai Phong of today, will continue to build and develop this land, writing further chapters of its glorious history.

THU HUONG - BHD

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/thanh-dong-xua-va-do-thi-nay-525054.html