Vinh Xuong - where the Mekong River flows into Vietnam

At Vinh Xuong International Road and River Border Gate, every day many barges carrying sand, agricultural products, and construction materials come to complete customs clearance procedures. Photo: VIET TIEN

Potential of upstream land

In the middle of the flood season, standing on the riverbank watching the water flowing from the upper Mekong, people cannot help but feel proud. That river carries alluvium and the rhythm of life of millions of delta residents. Just a few minutes away from the border with Cambodia by motorboat, the national boundary is drawn by a line of water, but human love continues.

Just a few hundred meters of river, there are hundreds of sand barges anchored, waiting for the signal to trade. People jokingly call it “the biggest sand market in the West” - where the Mekong River meets the Tien River. Under the midday sun, the cranes rotate regularly, the sound of the engines blends with the sound of the waves, creating a typical music of the river border region.

Local people say that every day thousands of tons of goods pass through, from construction materials, sand, rice to agricultural and aquatic products. Just a train whistle sounds to signal the start of trade between the two banks of the river. The water carries goods, news and even the smiles of people making a living. That rhythm of life is not the noisy urban style but the persistent, diligent rhythm of the upstream land opening itself to the world .

Mr. Bui Thai Hoang - Chairman of Vinh Xuong Commune People's Committee took us to the river wharf to look at the turbulent water flowing, speaking with a strong border accent: "This place is the source of Tien River, where Mekong "steps" into Vietnam. Every year, Vinh Xuong border gate exports and imports more than 1 billion USD of goods, but the connecting infrastructure is still small, not commensurate with the potential. I hope the State will soon plan a tariff zone and a large commercial area so that businesses can boldly invest."

Mr. Hoang said the road is currently only about 5-6 meters wide, making it difficult for container trucks to pass through, with many narrow curves. “If it can be expanded, trade will be different. This whole area will be a new growth pole of the delta,” Mr. Hoang affirmed.

In the distance, small boats still come and go, each wave hitting the dock like an urging call. In this upstream area, people are used to waiting, waiting for the flood season, waiting for the rice to bloom, and now waiting for an infrastructure boost so that the Mekong River not only flows into Vietnam but also flows into the future.

Border integration and construction

Vinh Xuong is the starting point of the integration journey. More than 10km of Tien River flows through the area, thousands of people earn their living by boats, nets, fish rafts, and wharves. Nearly 270 hectares of sandbank land - a precious local resource - is still being used mainly to raise catfish fry. Many people regretfully call it a "sleeping gold mine". The government is calculating how to exploit it reasonably, both developing and preserving the river.

The commune has 1,800 hectares of rice land, of which 1,100 hectares are located within the dike, 700 hectares are subject to annual flooding. About 650 hectares of land is used for mango cultivation, a type of tree oriented for export, but the limited transport infrastructure has not yet fully exploited its value. Each year, the import and export turnover through Vinh Xuong International Border Gate by road and waterway is more than 1 billion USD. However, the border market is still small and spontaneous, making commercial activities not really vibrant.

Mr. Tran Hoa Hop - Secretary of Vinh Xuong Commune Party Committee said: "The locality has identified border trade as a breakthrough, high-quality agriculture as the foundation. But to make a breakthrough, it is necessary to remove administrative procedures, expand traffic routes, and plan commercial and logistics areas. The border gate is not only a place for customs clearance but also a center for regional and international connections."

On the economic map of the Mekong Delta, Vinh Xuong is gradually becoming a strategic link between An Giang and Phnom Penh. Every day, hundreds of goods from Cambodia are imported through Vinh Xuong border gate, then spread to Can Tho City, Ho Chi Minh City and export ports. Vietnamese goods also follow boats to Prey Veng and Kandal regions of neighboring countries. However, to turn this potential into an advantage, there are still many "bottlenecks": Unsynchronized infrastructure, makeshift wharves and yards, and substandard border markets. This reality makes it difficult for the border trade economy to fully develop its role, even though the locality has many natural and political advantages.

Vinh Xuong people are gentle and brave. They live with the country, protecting the border like protecting fields and gardens. At Vinh Xuong Border Guard Station, young soldiers guard the border day and night. Mr. Tran Van Tien - Standing Deputy Secretary of Vinh Xuong Commune Party Committee shared: "Here, protecting the land means protecting the people's hearts. Commune cadres must be close to the people, understand the people so that the people can trust them. Only with the people can the border be peaceful."

In recent years, the government has promoted livelihood conversion, guiding people from old jobs to new ones. Many households have switched from raising catfish to growing safe vegetables and mangoes for export, applying mist irrigation to double profits. The commune aims to become a source center for border economic development associated with high-quality agriculture and eco-tourism, belonging to the An Giang border gate economic zone with an area of over 12,487 hectares.

In the afternoon, barges carrying sand, agricultural products, and construction materials leave the dock. During the flood season, the Mekong River flows like a reminder: “This place can be done.” When Highway 80B is completed, Chau Doc Bridge and Tan An Bridge connect the two banks; when the logistics zone and customs area are formed, Vinh Xuong will not only be the gateway to An Giang but also the upstream integration center of the entire Mekong region.

VIET TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/vinh-xuong-noi-dong-mekong-chay-vao-dat-viet-a465933.html