Hanoi (VNA) - The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang is mobilisingresources to invest in improving infrastructure and build policies to promoteborder economic development, with the hope of creating breakthroughs in the tradeand service sectors.

These efforts are aimed at helping Cao Bang tap its potential and utilize strengths,increasing the local budget revenue, creating more jobs, and raising the incomesof the local population.

Along with cash crop cultivation and tourism, border economy has beendetermined as one of the three key economic sectors of Cao Bang. Localauthorities have put forward many policies to promote infrastructuredevelopment and attract investors to the region.

Border trade has also significantly contributed to the new-style rural areadevelopment in the province.

A series of infrastructure projects have been implemented in the locality inrecent times, including the road connecting to the border gate at Duc Longcommune of Thach An district, with a total investment of more than 41 billionVND (1.78 million USD); a project to upgrade the road connecting Dong Khe townand Na Lan open path, with a total cost of 117 billion VND (nearly 5.1 millionUSD); and a transformer station project to ensure power supply for warehousebusinesses.

The Na Lan open path is often bustling with import and export activities, witha turnover hitting nearly 36 million USD in the first seven months of 2018, andthe total value of goods temporarily imported for re-export reaching nearly 146 millionUSD.

As much as 22 billion VND (955,801 USD) was collected during the period in feesfor usage of infrastructure and service facilities,greatly contributing to the district’s budget.

Officialsfrom Duc Long commune said that import-export activities have promoted tradeand service development and generated jobs for locals. The average per capitaincome of the commune reaches 26 million VND per year, meeting the income criterionset out in the national target programme on new rural development.

At the border economic zone in Tra Linh district, infrastructure constructionhas had much promotion under the aim of forming a Tra Linh (Vietnam) - LongBang (China) border economic cooperation area, which will serve as a hub for goodsfrom China to enter ASEAN member countries through Hai Phong port and viceversa.

Head of the management board of Tra Linh border gate economic zone Nong SonBinh said projects to build parks and extend main roads are underway, aiming toprovide top infrastructure facilities for export-import enterprises operatingin the locality.

In addition to investment from the State budget, the Tra Linh border economiczone has attracted another six investors which have registered to implementwarehousing, trade, and service projects with a total registered capital of 3.67trillion VND. By now, three warehouses for import-export activities goods havebeen put into operation.      

During the last five years, Cao Bang’s border economic development recorded positiveresults. The locality has so far invested in 26 infrastructure projects worth 963billion VND (41.83 million USD).

Todate, the locality has attracted 60 investment projects with a total registeredcapital of over 413 million USD, including 10 foreign-invested projects valuedat 48.96 million USD. Of the number, 26 projects have become operational,making it easier for import and export activities.  

According to Deputy General Director of the provincial Department of Customs LeViet Phong, the sector has enhanced its dialogues with local enterprises and listenedto their opinions and proposals, towards rolling out measures to facilitate import-exportbusiness operations.

He noted, however, that Cao Bang has no industrial parks, concentratedagricultural, nor forestry production areas for export, so it serves only as anarea for goods transit.

The management board of the Cao Bang economic zone has been working hardrecently on administrative reform in order to create favourable conditions forthe clearance of goods at customs.

Head of the management board Nguyen Kien Cuong proposed that relevantministries and sectors approve a master plan on building the Vietnam-Chinacross-border economic cooperation area; clarify policies on investmentincentives and encouragement in the locality; and support Cao Bang in buildingand effectively implementing the Tra Linh-Long Bang cross-border economic cooperationarea project.

In the 2013-2018 period, the import-export turnover of goods through Cao Bangprovince reached 9.48 billion USD. The revenue from border economic activities top2.24 trillion VND per year, making up to around 30-50 percent of the locality’stotal budget. –VNA