A warm and joyful spring - a meaningful Tet holiday.
In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the new house of Mr. Tran Van Kiem's family (Binh Hai village, Van Don special zone) is filled with laughter. For his family, this year's Tet of the Year of the Horse holds more special meaning than ever before, because this is the first time the whole family has celebrated in a spacious and sturdy house - something they could only dream of before.
Mr. Kiem's family is in difficult circumstances. Their old, dilapidated house, with its roof blown off and severely damaged after Typhoon Yagi in September 2024, was in serious disrepair. The family consists of four people; although Mr. Kiem and his wife are of working age, their health is poor, their jobs are unstable, and their income is precarious. Their two young children are still in school. The worries about food, clothing, and education made the dream of a sturdy home seem distant. Understanding their situation, the Fatherland Front of Van Don Special Zone promptly appealed to philanthropists to support Mr. Kiem's family with 70 million VND to build a new house. Along with their savings, the new house, nearly 80 square meters in size and worth approximately 500 million VND, was completed just in time for the family to celebrate the new year with complete happiness.
Sharing his joy, Mr. Kiem emotionally said: “This year, celebrating Tet in our new home, my family is very happy and grateful. We are thankful for the concern of the Party Committee leaders, the Fatherland Front of Van Don Special Zone, and the benefactors who have helped our family stabilize our lives.”
That joy wasn't limited to Mr. Kiem's family alone. In 2025, with the attention of the Party Committee, the government, the Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, and the joint efforts of philanthropists, the Van Don Special Economic Zone supported the construction and repair of houses for 12 disadvantaged households. These houses built with compassion not only helped people "settle down," but also gave them more motivation to confidently strive for a better life, so that spring truly knocked on the door of each family.
In particular, with the desire to ensure that all citizens can celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year warmly and fully, the Van Don Special Economic Zone has implemented many practical activities to care for policy beneficiaries, war veterans, and disadvantaged households. During the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, the entire special economic zone had 4,982 beneficiaries receiving gifts and subsidies from the President and the Provincial People's Committee, including 1,834 war veterans and their relatives, 3,148 social welfare beneficiaries, and many other groups.
The process of reviewing, compiling lists, and distributing gifts was strictly directed to ensure that the gifts were given to the correct recipients and according to regulations, and that they were delivered promptly before the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, so that no one would be left behind when Tet (Lunar New Year) arrived. In addition, the special zone allocated 267 million VND (equivalent to 534 gift packages) from the budget and social contributions to visit, give gifts, and provide assistance, contributing to a warm and meaningful spring for those in difficult circumstances.
Belief and aspiration to rise above
The year 2025 marks a special milestone for Van Don and many localities nationwide – the first year of operating the two-tiered local government model, amidst a large workload, high demands, heavy responsibilities, and many new emerging issues. However, with a spirit of unity, innovation, and creativity, the Party Committee, government, and people of all ethnic groups in the Van Don Special Economic Zone have strived to overcome difficulties and comprehensively achieve the set socio-economic development goals.
By the end of 2025, the Van Don Special Economic Zone had completed all 18 socio-economic development targets, with 7 targets exceeding the plan. The growth rate of production value reached 26.8%, surpassing the resolution's target; budget revenue reached 200% of the projected amount. These figures not only reflect the significant efforts in leadership, management, and implementation, but also clearly affirm the correctness and effectiveness of the special economic zone model in its first year of implementation.
One of the outstanding highlights of the special economic zone over the past year has been its efforts to attract non-budgetary investment, creating a crucial impetus for long-term development. Van Don has attracted many large-scale projects with strong ripple effects, notably: the Sun Group high-end complex tourism service area with a total investment of over 51,000 billion VND; the Monbay Van Don resort and entertainment complex with nearly 25,000 billion VND; and the Crystal Holidays Harbour Van Don complex, meeting international standards, with a total investment of over 5,600 billion VND. These projects not only expand urban and service areas but also gradually form a comprehensive, world-class tourism and entertainment ecosystem, creating a foundation for Van Don's strong breakthrough in the future.
Along with attracting investment, infrastructure investment continues to be promoted. Many key projects have been inaugurated and put into operation, such as Crystal Holidays Harbour Van Don, Van Don Industrial Cluster, and essential transportation routes… contributing to the completion of a synchronous and modern infrastructure system, connecting development spaces, shortening distances between regions, facilitating trade, tourism, and attracting investment.
Tourism continues to affirm its role as a key economic sector of the special economic zone. In 2025, Van Don is expected to welcome approximately 2.3 million tourists, generating revenue of 3,719 billion VND, a 31% increase compared to the previous year. These impressive figures demonstrate Van Don's growing appeal on the national map of coastal and island tourism, while also reflecting the effectiveness of infrastructure investment, product diversification, and improved service quality.
Local administrative reforms and digital transformation continue to show many positive changes, with citizens and businesses at the center of service delivery. The rate of timely processing of applications reached 99.71%, and the satisfaction level reached 100%, demonstrating the responsibility, discipline, and professionalism of the special economic zone's officials and civil servants.
With its socio-economic breakthroughs, the Van Don Special Economic Zone is bustling with a series of unique cultural and sports activities to welcome the Year of the Horse, such as: the Spring Flower Fair, the "Celebrating the Party - Celebrating Spring" art program, fireworks display to welcome the New Year, traditional festivals, welcoming the first group of tourists to visit Bai Tu Long Bay and Van Don International Airport, launching the "Planting Trees in Remembrance of Uncle Ho" campaign… These activities not only create a joyful and enthusiastic atmosphere but also contribute to preserving and spreading the traditional cultural identity of the locality.
Tet has arrived, its vibrant colors and fragrances spreading throughout the streets, reflecting the collective efforts and solidarity of the entire political system and the community in caring for the people's well-being. With a solid foundation already built, the Van Don Special Economic Zone enters the new year with confidence, determination, and a strong aspiration for progress, so that spring will not only be present on every street and corner, but will also linger in the hearts of every resident here.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/dac-khu-van-don-bung-sang-nam-moi-3392218.html
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