From recovery to acceleration

After a period of profound impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and complex fluctuations in the global economy, Quang Ninh – one of the leading dynamic economies in the North – has quickly demonstrated its resilience, governance capacity, and remarkable recovery potential. Based on the spirit of "Discipline and Unity," and steadfastly inheriting and developing its established development vision and mindset, the province has focused on decisive, flexible, and creative leadership and management, effectively leveraging its potential and advantages, proactively seizing opportunities, and overcoming difficulties and challenges. These efforts have contributed to Quang Ninh's gradual recovery, creating an important foundation for the province to enter a phase of accelerated development in the new context.

Seize the opportunity, enhance your adaptability.

Comrade Quan Minh Cuong, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, along with the provincial working group, listened to the investor's report on the high-end complex tourism service project in Van Don Special Economic Zone (December 15, 2025).

From the very beginning of the 2020-2025 term, Quang Ninh faced unprecedented challenges. The prolonged and complex Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted socio -economic life, especially in the service, tourism, accommodation, and transportation sectors. In addition, natural disasters became increasingly extreme; Typhoon No. 3 (Yagi) in 2024 caused serious damage to people and property, and significantly reduced the province's forest cover rate from 55% at the end of 2023 to 45.5% at the end of 2024.

The difficulties are further exacerbated by overlapping and inconsistent policies and laws, particularly in the areas of investment, land, and environment, which hinder implementation and resource mobilization for development. In the context of a global economy facing pressure from inflation, supply-demand instability, market volatility, and the impact of climate change, the need for strong local governance capacity and adaptability is becoming increasingly urgent.

Amidst numerous intertwined difficulties and challenges, with the concerted efforts of the entire political system and the spirit of "discipline and unity," Quang Ninh continues to strongly innovate its development thinking, ensuring consistency, connectivity, and continuity in leadership and guidance methods. The province persistently pursues long-term development goals, proactively adjusting tasks and solutions to suit the new context; in particular, restructuring the economy to recover and create momentum for growth after the pandemic is identified as a consistent focus.

Thanh Cong Viet Hung Automobile Factory - a prime example of attracting private investment into the manufacturing industry in Quang Ninh. Photo: Do ​​Phuong.

Based on this, Quang Ninh focuses on developing the processing and manufacturing industry in accordance with Resolution No. 01-NQ/TU dated November 16, 2020, of the Provincial Party Committee, aiming to attract new-generation, high-tech, and environmentally friendly FDI flows. The province's adaptability is clearly demonstrated through its flexible and effective approach in mobilizing and utilizing resources, prioritizing the efficient operation of industrial parks and economic zones, and implementing key projects with significant connectivity and spillover effects; thereby overcoming the situation of scattered, fragmented, and prolonged investment.

Notable examples include the Quang Yen Coastal Economic Zone, the Thanh Cong Viet Hung Automotive Industrial Complex, and numerous FDI projects in industrial parks such as Dong Mai and Hai Ha. These projects not only increase industrial production capacity and expand the scale of the economy, but also create a strong ripple effect on service, logistics, trade, human resource training, and urban development sectors, gradually forming interconnected and sustainable industrial-service value chains and ecosystems.

In addition to focusing on industrial development, Quang Ninh pays special attention to improving the quality of growth, ensuring harmony between economic development, social progress, and environmental protection. Promoting high value-added service industries and developing sustainable tourism, linked to the preservation and promotion of heritage values, has contributed to diversifying growth drivers and enhancing the resilience of the economy against external fluctuations.

Accordingly, tourism continues to be identified as a key economic sector according to Resolution No. 15-NQ/TU dated April 23, 2019, of the Provincial Party Committee, developing according to the criteria of "Green - Smart - Sustainable". Quang Ninh is gradually forming a modern system of ports and wharves along the coast, becoming a destination for international cruise ships and luxury yachts, thereby expanding the tourism development space of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.

Along with services and tourism, the province is implementing a comprehensive development plan for ecological agriculture, modern rural areas, and civilized farmers, linked to the implementation of three national target programs and Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU dated May 17, 2021, of the Provincial Party Committee. Quang Ninh is promoting the application of science and technology, transforming the structure of crop and livestock varieties; building and protecting trademarks for key agricultural products and OCOP products. Marine aquaculture is being planned and reorganized towards a modern and sustainable direction, forming effective cooperative models, linked to combating illegal fishing. In particular, the implementation of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TU dated November 28, 2019, of the Provincial Party Committee on sustainable forestry development has spread strongly, contributing to the recovery of forests severely affected after Typhoon Yagi. The area of ​​planted forests for large timber has reached approximately 5,000 hectares, gradually increasing forest cover and quality, making an important contribution to responding to climate change and protecting the ecological environment.

Quang Ninh continues to welcome a large number of tourists, including a strong return of cruise ship tourists. Photo: Do ​​Phuong.

Quang Ninh also demonstrated a resolute spirit in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of budget revenue and expenditure management, restructuring budget expenditures towards sustainability, reducing recurrent expenditures, and increasing development investment expenditures; ensuring a stable balance of the local budget. The effectiveness of public investment continued to improve through ensuring focused and targeted investment, accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital, promptly resolving difficulties and obstacles, and bringing projects into operation and use as soon as possible, creating new growth momentum for the economy.

Institutional reform and administrative procedure reform continue to be identified by Quang Ninh as a breakthrough throughout its development process. The province is committed to building a service-oriented administration, centered on citizens and businesses, constantly improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management and the quality of socio-economic development governance. The harmonious and close combination of leveraging domestic resources with attracting foreign investment; between public investment playing a leading role and private investment and FDI as drivers of growth has created a solid foundation for the goal of rapid growth coupled with sustainable development.

Affirming his confidence in the province's investment environment, Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh, Deputy General Director of BIM Group in charge of Quang Ninh province, stated: Quang Ninh is one of the localities with a transparent and open investment environment, always accompanying and supporting businesses in a substantive and effective way. The province has a long-term, systematic strategic vision, along with many outstanding advantages in terms of geo-economic location, development potential, and a synchronous and modern transportation infrastructure system, especially its strength in tourism. Currently, BIM Group is simultaneously implementing three projects in the province, focusing on social housing, tourism and services, and solar power. The company is committed to ensuring the construction progress of the projects and hopes to continue receiving the province's support in resolving procedures and difficulties, creating conditions for the projects to be implemented quickly and effectively, contributing positively to the overall development of Quang Ninh.

Affirming the role of the dynamic growth pole in the North.

Investors received investment policy approval decisions and investment registration certificates for their projects at the 2025 Conference on Investment Promotion for Science and Technology Development, Innovation and Digital Transformation.

With a sound development strategy based on a solid industrial and service foundation, and proactively shifting its economic structure towards modernization and sustainability, Quang Ninh continues to substantially improve its investment and business environment, strengthening the confidence of the business community and investors. As a result, the province's economy has not only recovered but also accelerated significantly, affirming its role as one of the dynamic growth poles in the North and the entire country.

During the period 2021-2025, the province's average economic growth rate is projected to reach approximately 10% per year, 1.7 times higher than the national average. The size of the economy in 2025 is expected to exceed VND 368,000 billion, 1.8 times higher than in 2020, placing it among the largest economies in the country. The per capita GRDP is projected to reach USD 10,402, ranking first nationwide, 2.1 times higher than the national average and 1.6 times higher than in 2020. The quality of growth is expected to continue improving. Social labor productivity in 2025 is projected to reach VND 537 million per person, 1.87 times higher than in 2020, with an average annual increase of 11.7%. Investment efficiency has improved significantly, with the ICOR index falling sharply from 6.09 in 2020 to approximately 3.54 in 2025; the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to economic growth in 2025 is expected to reach 50%.

The industrial sector continues to play a crucial role. The average industrial growth rate for the period 2021-2025 is projected at 9.3% per year. Quang Ninh is beginning to develop specialized industrial zones linked to modern processing and manufacturing industries, such as: Viet Hung Industrial Park (automobiles, electric vehicles); Dong Mai, Song Khoai, and Bac Tien Phong Industrial Parks (electronic component assembly); Texhong Hai Ha Industrial Park (textiles and garments)... The coal industry continues to maintain its role as one of the economic pillars, contributing to national energy security. Quang Ninh is currently implementing three renewable energy projects with a total investment of over 13,000 billion VND; one project utilizing waste heat for power generation, and is striving to commence construction of the LNG thermal power plant project in the first quarter of 2026…

Workers at Bumjin Electronics Vina Co., Ltd. (Dong Mai Industrial Park), a company with 100% South Korean investment, are urgently completing the production of orders.

The service sector has experienced strong growth, becoming a crucial driving force of the economy. During the 2021-2025 period, the service sector's growth rate averaged 12.4% per year. After a sharp decline due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Quang Ninh's tourism sector recovered quickly and experienced impressive growth. The province welcomed over 71.8 million visitors, including 10.8 million international tourists; the average growth rate was over 19.3% per year; and total tourism revenue reached approximately 167,400 billion VND. By 2025, tourism is expected to contribute approximately 10.46% to the province's GRDP, a significant increase compared to 5.93% in 2020.

Trade, import-export, and logistics activities have developed positively. Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue increased by an average of 14.2% per year. Total import-export turnover over the past five years reached US$33.5 billion. The province completed the pilot project for the smart border gate between Mong Cai (Vietnam) and Dongxing (China); developed mechanisms and policies, and piloted the establishment of a cross-border industry cooperation zone between Mong Cai and Dongxing, opening up new development opportunities for the border gate economy.

The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector is experiencing stable growth, averaging 3.3% per year during the 2021-2025 period, accounting for approximately 4.6% of GRDP. Total aquaculture production is projected at 830,000 tons, with an average annual increase of 4.2%; approximately 5,000 hectares of timber plantations have been established, with an estimated forest cover rate of 45.5%, and 30,800 hectares of FSC-certified forests have been achieved.

Economic zones continue to affirm their role as drivers of growth. The Quang Yen coastal economic zone has become a new growth engine; the Van Don economic zone and the Mong Cai international border gate economic zone have attracted many large investors to research and implement projects. The province also focuses on developing transportation and logistics services associated with the efficient exploitation of the transportation infrastructure system, while simultaneously building specific mechanisms and policies for the development of the Van Don economic zone.

The financial and budgetary foundation has been firmly consolidated. Total state budget revenue in the locality for the period 2021-2025 reached VND 302,000 billion, 1.42 times higher than the period 2016-2020. In 2025 alone, budget revenue reached VND 85,050 billion, ranking 6th nationwide, the highest level ever, an increase of 58% compared to 2024. Total local budget expenditure for the period 2021-2025 reached VND 136,000 billion, of which public investment accounted for over 50.5%; the disbursement rate of public investment capital averaged approximately 90% of the plan, making a significant contribution to promoting economic growth.

Perspective view of the Ha Long Green Urban Area planning. (Photo: Archival image)

These comprehensive and synchronized results clearly affirm Quang Ninh's role as a dynamic growth pole in the North, creating a solid foundation for the province to continue its breakthroughs and make increasingly significant contributions to the overall growth of the country in the next phase. During his visit and working trip to the province, Comrade Nguyen Hoa Binh, Member of the Political Bureau and Standing Deputy Prime Minister, acknowledged and assessed: Quang Ninh is a growth pole of the country, and the results achieved are very impressive and comprehensive across all fields. Quang Ninh leads the country in growth; the province has met and exceeded all targets assigned by the Government; the production, business, and public investment situation has many bright spots; budget revenue has exceeded targets; infrastructure has been invested in systematically, especially in transportation, culture, health, and education. National target programs have been implemented effectively and synchronously; and attracting foreign investment has achieved many positive results.

Entering 2026 with a solid foundation built over many years, Quang Ninh province has set its theme for the year as "Breakthrough in economic growth; improving urban quality, and soon achieving the criteria of a centrally-governed city," along with a system of ambitious development indicators. The province aims for a Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth rate of over 12.5%, demonstrating its determination to maintain continuous double-digit growth and affirming Quang Ninh's outstanding achievements in recent years.

Facing a great opportunity for rapid acceleration, with a solid development foundation, strong political determination, innovative thinking, and decisive actions from the entire political system, Quang Ninh will certainly realize its set goals, soon building the province into a centrally-governed city, and continuing to maintain its position as one of the leading economic development engines of the country.

Truc Linh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/tu-phuc-hoi-den-tang-toc-3395888.html