Decision 80/QD-TTg 2023 Master Plan of Quang Ninh province for 2021-2030

DECISION

Approving the Master Plan of Quang Ninh province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the November 24, 2017 Planning Law;

Pursuant to the June 15, 2018 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of 11 Laws concerning Planning;

Pursuant to the November 20, 2018 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of 37 Laws concerning Planning;

Pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 61/2022/QH15 of June 16, 2022, on continued improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of planning policies and laws and a number of solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles in, and accelerate the progress of formulation and improve the quality of, master plans for the 2021-2030 period;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 37/2019/ND-CP of May 7, 2019, detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Planning Law;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP of February 5, 2018, on organization of the implementation of the Planning Law;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution 119/NQ-CP of September 27, 2021, on tasks and solutions to improve the quality and accelerate the progress of formulation of master plans for the 2021-2030 period;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 479/QD-TTg of April 7, 2020, approving the task of formulating the Master Plan of Quang Ninh province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

At the request of the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province in Report No. 6199/TTr-UBND of December 15, 2022, requesting approval of the Master Plan of Quang Ninh for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050; and opinions of the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Documents No. 457/BKHDT-QLQH of January 18, 2023; No. 766/BKHDT-QLQH of February 8, 2023; and No. 823/BKHDT-QLQH of February 8, 2023,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the Master Plan of Quang Ninh province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050 (below referred to as the Master Plan), with the following principal contents:

I. SCOPE AND BOUNDARIES OF THE MASTER PLAN

The scope and boundaries for formulation of the Master Plan cover the entire Quang Ninh province with a total land area of 6,206.9 km² and part of the marine area that has an outer boundary which is 6 nautical miles from the lowest mean sea level for many years as determined and announced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with 13 administrative units, including: 4 cities (Ha Long, Mong Cai, Cam Pha and Uong Bi); 2 towns (Quang Yen and Dong Trieu) and 7 districts (Binh Lieu, Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, Ba Che, Van Don and Co To). The geographical coordinate boundaries are from 106^o 26’ to 108^o31’ east longitude and from 20^o40’ to 21^o39’49.8 north latitude. The province borders on China to the north; on the Gulf of Tonkin to the east and south; on Hai Duong province and Hai Phong city to the southwest; and on Bac Giang and Lang Son provinces to the northwest.

II. DEVELOPMENT VIEWPOINTS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Development viewpoints

Firstly, the Master Plan must comply and be consistent with the national development orientations and vision, the spirit of the XIII^th National Party Congress’s Resolution, the 2021-2030 national socio-economic development strategy as well as national master plans, national-level sectoral master plans and regional-level master plans.

Secondly, to take the initiative in carrying out, and facilitate and proceed with comprehensive and drastic renewal of the mindset about, sustainable development, green growth, inclusive development of economy, politics, culture, society and eco-environment, firm maintenance of national defense, security and sovereignty of national borders. To fully and effectively bring into play the unique potential and advantages and resources of the province; to mobilize, distribute and efficiently use all resources according to the motto that internal resources are fundamental, external resources are important, and internal resources are closely combined with external resources to create optimal concerted resources, regarding “public investment as a luring funding source that will lead and activate other forms of social investment”; to ensure efficient and sustainable exploitation and use of natural resources, environmental protection and proactive adaptation to climate change and sea level rise; to make the best use of competitive advantages brought about by the increasingly complete, synchronous and modern socio-economic infrastructure system that serves as a driving force toward international integration, while promoting integrated, comprehensive and modern economic development with high openness; to accelerate the economic restructuring in association with transformation to  the green growth model, improvement of productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy on the basis of high-quality human resources, innovation, application of scientific and technological advances, and deep participation in global production networks and value chains.

Thirdly, to shift from “brown” development to “green” development toward sustainability based on three pillars: the nature, humans and culture in combination with taking advantage of the trend of peace, cooperation, international integration, new opportunities and new technologies brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and intensively and effectively join global production networks and value chains; to bring into the fullest play the human factor, considering people the center, subject and the most important resource and the goal of development; to arouse and strongly promote cultural and human values, revolutionary and cultural traditions, dynamism and aspiration for innovation, self-reliance, and strong and sustainable efforts of the people of different ethnic groups of Quang Ninh province; to treat investment and education and training development as the foundation for sustainable and long-term development; to make substantial changes in training, thereby attracting high-quality human resources while increasing the population size and quality so as to improve labor productivity and substantially transform the growth model.

Fourthly, to persistently implement the model of organization of the development space “one center, two multidimensional routes, two breakthroughs, three dynamic zones”, building transport routes along economic and urban corridors, striving to build the province into a centrally run city and promote intra-regional connectivity, regional connectivity, and territory-based assignment and cooperation, ensuring that potential, strengths, comparative advantages and competitive edge of every locality in the province and in the northern dynamic triangle, the northern key economic region and the Red River delta will be brought into the fullest play and complement one another for mutual sustainable development.

Fifthly, to firmly assure national defense and security; to firmly maintain political stability, social order and safety and national border sovereignty; to expand and improve the efficiency of external activities and international integration; to build the borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development; to build an orderly, disciplined, secure, safe and civilized society.

2. Development objectives

a/ Objectives by 2030

- General objectives:

To build and develop Quang Ninh into a model province of the country in all aspects which is rich, civilized and modern where the people’s livelihood is improved in all aspects; a growth pole of the northern region; one of the dynamic and comprehensive development centers; an international tourism center, a marine economic center, and a gateway of the northern key economic region and the whole country; an urban center enjoying sustainable development after the model of green growth adaptable to climate change and sea level rise; and a firm provincial-level national defense and security zone and an international economic cooperation and competition hub.

- Specific targets:

+ Economically: (1) The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate in the 2021-2030 period will be 10% per year on average, in which the growth rate in the agro-forestry-fisheries sector will increase by 3-4% per year; industry-construction, 9-10% per year; and services, 11-12% per year; (2) Economic structure: the agro-forestry-fisheries sector will account for 3-4%; industry-construction, 47-48%; services, 38-39%, and product tax, 9-10%; (3) Per-capita GRDP will reach USD 19,000-20,000; (4) Contribution to GRDP by some important economic sectors: digital economy, around 30%; marine economy, around 25%; processing and manufacturing industries, over 20%; and total factor productivity (TFP), over 50%; (5) The average growth rate of total social investment in the 2021-2030 period will reach around 10% per year; (6) The average growth rate of social labor productivity in the 2021-2030 period will surpass 8% per year; (7) The urbanization rate will be over 75%; (8) The province will be among the leading localities nationwide in terms of Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index, Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS), Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), and Digital Transformation Index (DTI);

+ Socio-culturally: (1) The average population growth rate in the 2021-2030 period will reach about 1.9% per year; by 2030, the province’s population will be some 2.64 million, about 1.63 million of whom will be permanent residents; (2) The per-capita house floor area will be around 33 m²; (3) There will be 16 medical doctors and 72.7 patient beds per 10,000 people (including 65 patient beds of public hospitals and 7.7 patient beds of private hospitals); (4) The province’s Human Development Index (HDI) will be maintained among the top 5 provinces and cities nationwide; (5) The life expectancy of local people will be over 77 years; (6) The unemployment rate will be below 2% and the rate of poor households, below 1%; (7) The rate of national-standard schools will surpass 95%; (8) The rate of trained laborers will surpass 90%, of which the rate of trained laborers possessing diplomas or certificates will be over 55%; (9) The rate of health insurance card holders will be over 95%; (10) The rate of communes reaching the advanced new-style countryside standards and the rate of model communes will reach 65% and 35%, respectively;

+ Environmentally: (1) To maintain the forest coverage rate at 55% by 2025 and over 50% by 2030, while improving the forest quality; (2) The rates of collected and treated domestic solid wastes in urban centers, island communes and communes with tourism and service activities up to relevant standards or technical regulations will be over 99% overall and around 90% in rural areas; (3) Almost all hazardous wastes will be collected, transported and treated up to regulations; (4) The proportion of collected and treated wastewater will surpass 70% in urban areas (Ha Long, Cam Pha, Van Don and Quang Yen) and over 50% in other localities (Dong Trieu, Uong Bi and Mong Cai); (5) All operating industrial parks and cottage industry zones will have wastewater treatment systems up to the standards of wastewater to be discharged into the environment; (6) All urban inhabitants will have access to clean water through water supply systems; over 85% of rural households will have access to clean water meeting quality requirements under relevant technical regulations at the level of at least 60 liters per person per day;

+ Regarding national defense, security and social order and safety: To firmly assure national defense and security; to firmly maintain political stability, social order and safety and national border sovereignty; to expand, and raise the efficiency of, external activities and international integration; to build the borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development; to build an orderly, disciplined, secure, safe and civilized society; to build Quang Ninh into a firm provincial-level national defense and security zone and an international economic cooperation and competition hub.

b/ Development vision toward 2050

Quang Ninh will become a modern service and industrial province, a large urban area at the regional and international level, one of the leading localities in promoting the national economic development with the main drivers for growth being services, tourism and innovation, and with solid economic bases and high competitiveness; local people’s income levels will be equivalent to those of the developed countries; to ensure harmonious economic development between urban areas and rural areas; to firmly assure national defense and security.

III. DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATIONS FOR IMPORTANT SECTORS AND FIELDS AND PLANS ON ORGANIZATION OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

1. Development orientations for important sectors and fields

a/ Industrial sector

To develop a green industry, rapidly increase the proportion of contribution of the hi-tech processing and manufacturing industry with high added value; to turn the processing and manufacturing industry into a major pillar of the economy; to develop an environmentally friendly energy industry; to continue maintaining the province as a national energy center (one of the wind power and LNG power centers of the North), gradually shifting to the development of clean energy and renewable energy; not to further expand coal-fired thermo-power plants; to improve the efficiency of existing factories, and protect the environment; to rationally and sustainably develop the mining industry, particularly the coal industry, thus contributing to ensuring the national energy security under relevant master plans; in the 2021-2030 period, Quang Ninh’s coal mining output will be basically stable and grow at an average rate of 1.2% per year; by 2030, the mining output will surpass 49 million tons.

b/ Service sector

To develop modern integrated services that will play a leading role; to develop Quang Ninh into a logistics center and a multimodal transport gateway connected with China, Northeast Asia and ASEAN; Van Don international airport will serve as a logistics hub of Vietnam and later become a transshipment hub for Southeast Asia. Tourism will be a spearhead economic sector with a system of high quality, world-class and high added-value services; Quang Ninh will be among top tourism centers of the country and an international tourism destination attracting visitors all year round, striving for the target that by 2030, the province will receive about 25 million tourist arrivals (including about 8 million international tourist arrivals), with an average growth rate of tourists reaching around 6% per year.

c/ Agro-forestry-fisheries sector

To develop a green-clean ecological agriculture, a modern countryside, and civilized peasantry, regarding peasants as the subject and center of, and foundation for, sustainable development; to develop fisheries as a spearhead sector on the basis of promoting marine and island advantages; to complete the fisheries logistics system, marine aquaculture, and a complete and modern processing system, thereby building Quang Ninh into a fisheries center of the North; to develop hi-tech application zones in Dong Trieu, Dam Ha and Tien Yen districts and develop production zones focusing on livestock production, crop production and fisheries; to build areas for sustainable forest and large timber forest development, and develop the forest product processing industry in association with the planning of areas for raw material forests, turning Quang Ninh into a wood processing and export center of the North; to develop a large-scale commodity agriculture with hi-tech application toward strengthening chain-based links, increasing the added value and economic efficiency of OCOP products in association with the building of new-style rural areas, advanced new-style rural areas and sustainable model new-style rural areas that are rich in cultural identity.

d/ Marine economy

- To build and develop Quang Ninh into a sustainable marine economic center of the whole country on the basis of developing tourism and services toward regional and international connection; to build a system of deep-water seaports and world-class cruise ship locks in combination with economic development in economic zones and adjacent sea-coastal urban areas, and into one of the country’s key logistics centers. At the same time, to develop Quang Ninh into one of the seaward transshipment gateways of the region; and to increase the capacity to link coastal, sea and island economic spaces, thus creating a driving force for development for the north eastern region and the whole country.

- To develop coastal and marine fishing and aquaculture toward hi-tech application, efficiency and sustainability; to promote the rearing or culture of species for production of marine medicinal materials and nutritious food from marine products; to apply scientific and technological advances and innovation in deep processing and post-harvest preservation, etc., in order to create added value of marine products, thus contributing to conserving marine resources; to formulate master plans on coastal and onshore spaces (surrounding large islands) for sustainable tourism development in combination with the development of economic-service sectors based on marine conservation as an outstanding strength of the province.

- To prioritize the synchronous construction and upgrading of multi-purpose infrastructure systems in order to guarantee “dual benefits” in development; to make gradual transition to vigorous development of renewable energy; to attach importance to international and regional cooperation in sustainable marine economic development and effective training of human resources for marine economy; to reorganize spaces for marine economic development on the basis of spatial zoning based on ecosystems and utilities of marine, islands and coastal areas; to distribute sea, coastal and island spaces to sectors and fields on the principles of ensuring harmony of interests and reducing spatial conflicts in the exploitation and use of the same coastal, island and marine area and between collectives and individuals; to develop the marine economy in association with the protection of natural resources and eco-environment and maintenance of national defense, security and sovereignty over seas and islands; at the same time, to preserve values and promote historical traditions and marine cultural identity of Quang Ninh for sustainable tourism development; to sustainably develop and manage the province’s marine economy by the method of space-based and interdisciplinary marine governance with the practical participation of local communities and enterprises.

dd/ Development orientations for other sectors and fields

- Education and training, high-quality human resources, skilled labor force

+ To create substantial changes in the education and training quality and efficiency; to build an open, modern and advanced education with training structure and modes suitable to local practical conditions, ensuring permeability in education and serving lifelong learning of the people, while providing high-quality services up to international standards and comprehensively developing learners’ capacity; to ensure the development of an education system that is harmonious between public education and non-public education and between formal education and non-formal education on the principles that state budget funds play the key role, together with the mobilization of non-budget resources and resources among the people to the utmost, paying greater attention to education and training development, and adopting mechanisms to promote the development of non-public education, harmonize the interests of the State, the people, learners and investors so that all students can go to school and enjoy higher quality education; to proactively and actively take advantage of scientific and technical achievements, particularly achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the trend of digital transformation, in order to create breakthroughs in smart education development and improvement of the province’s education and training quality to meet international integration requirements; to bring Quang Ninh among top 15 provinces and cities nationwide in terms of education and training development and quality and as one of the centers for education and training of high-quality human resources of the region and a learning province joining the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities;

 + To develop a roadmap for training, retraining and work transition for coal industry workers to meet the economic restructuring requirements in association with transition to the green growth model, thereby raising productivity, quality and efficiency to meet development needs of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group and the Dong Bac Corporation (under the Ministry of National Defense) and market demands.

- Health and healthcare

To develop a modern, complete, uniform and balanced health system between preventive medicine and therapeutic medicine, attaching importance to grassroots healthcare, ensuring access to higher-quality healthcare services for all, particularly people in mountainous, border and island areas and disadvantaged people; to rapidly develop high-quality medical services and mobilize all social resources for investment in hospitals providing services with quality up to the regional level; to build Quang Ninh into one of hi-tech medical service centers of the country so as to contribute to promoting tourism development; to build the epidemic prevention and control capacity in association with renovating the grassroots health system; to develop highly qualified health personnel; to form a system of centers for disease control at all levels which will be connected with the global disease control network; to continue to effectively implement the overall program on prevention of, safe and flexible adaptation to, and effective control of, the COVID-19 epidemic, paying attention to the people’s health protection and socio-economic stabilization and development, and stay ready to effectively respond to future pandemics.

- Social security

To mobilize all possible resources for the development of transport, health, culture, education, digital transformation and clean water supply infrastructure facilities under technical regulations applicable to rural and mountainous areas, which will be connected with urban areas in order to promote production and business development and labor restructuring, and quickly narrow the development gap between rural areas and urban areas and between different areas and regions; to ensure social security, social progress and justice, especially for people with meritorious services to the country, ethnic minority people in mountainous, border and island areas, low-income earners and disadvantaged people; to fully guarantee children’s rights, ensuring a secure and healthy environment for facilitating the all-round development of children; to improve the quality of the people’s life in all aspects, ensuring harmony between material life and cultural and spiritual life according to the criteria of “happiness”; to strive for the target that by 2025, there will be no poor households classified according to national standards and sustainable poverty reduction will be achieved.

- Science, technology and innovation

+ To develop scientific and technological human resources; to improve scientific, technological and innovative capacity for acquiring, mastering, developing and transferring advanced technologies in order to modernize traditional technologies; to strive for the target that by 2030, Quang Ninh will become an annual international exhibition destination for marine science, seaports and environmental protection science, etc.

+ To expand and intensify the application of achievements of science, technology and innovation, particularly achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, new material technology, biotechnology, etc., focusing on the processing and manufacturing industry, administrative reform, state management, health, education, culture, security, tourism, environmental protection, and information and communication technology industry, etc.; to build a digital government, digital economy, digital society and smart cities as the main driver for the province’s economic growth, thereby creating breakthroughs in productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness, renewing the growth model and ensuring sustainability.

- Information and communications

By 2030, Quang Ninh will be among the country’s top localities in comprehensive digital transformation; to drastically develop various types of press information, paying special attention to the development of electronic information forms; to apply Internet of Things (IoT) technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in information collection and processing and program production; to intensify communication management on digital platforms; to step by step build and develop the press economy to serve as a driving force for the development of the province’s press industry.

- Culture and sports

+ To develop culture to truly become a firm spiritual foundation of the society, an internal strength and important driving force for fast and sustainable economic development of the province; to build a culture that is rich in identity of Quang Ninh province while rapidly narrowing the rich-poor gap and disparities between areas and regions; to pay greater attention to building grassroots cultural life, particularly in rural, deep-lying, remote, mountainous, border and island areas of the province;

+ To closely combine the conservation and promotion of cultural heritages and cultural values of ethnic groups; to apply the market mechanism to convert cultural natural resources into cultural resources, and “capitalize” local cultural values to create diverse and unique cultural products for tourism and service activities; to focus on the conservation and promotion of values of the province’s cultural heritages, with priority given to resources for UNESCO-recognized heritages, special national relics, national treasures and intangible cultural heritages on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritages; to regularly renovate and embellish special national relics and national relics subject to degradation prevention in conformity with local practical conditions; to gradually develop cultural and entertainment industries in the province toward cultural export, contributing to promoting sustainable economic development; to build Quang Ninh into a regional-level cultural and arts center and the most attractive destination for cultural heritage tourism in Asia and the world as voted every year; Ha Long city will become a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network;

+ To promote the mobilization of all social resources for physical training and sports activities; to ensure extensive and sustainable development of physical training and sport activities and develop high-performance sports, focusing on sports of strengths and Olympic sports; to strive for the target that by 2030, Quang Ninh will be among  key centers of high-performance sports of the country.

- National defense and security

To build and consolidate national defense and security zones and defense lines for international economic cooperation and competition; to firmly maintain border sovereignty and security on land and sea areas and islands; to combine national defense and security with economic, cultural, social and external activities; to resolutely refrain from exchanging security and safety requirements for profit and economic benefits or trivial cultural needs; to build the borderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development; to expand cooperation relations and improve the international integration efficiency.

2. Plans on organization of socio-economic activities

To organize socio-economic activities after the model of development space organization “one center, two multidimensional routes, two breakthroughs, three dynamic zones”, thereby building transport routes along economic and urban corridors, toward building the province into a centrally run city and promoting intra-regional and regional connectivity, and territorial assignment and cooperation, ensuring that potential, strengths, comparative advantages and competitive edge of every locality in the province and in the northern dynamic triangle, the northern key economic region and the Red River delta will be brought into full play and complement one another for mutual development, in which:

- Ha Long city will be the political-administrative-economic-cultural center of the province; its urban development will follow the multipolar model, taking Cua Luc bay as the center for connection and urban expansion to the north.

- The western corridor route will start from Ha Long city to Dong Trieu district heading toward the Red River delta and Hanoi capital; to develop a chain of urban areas, green industry, clean industry, high technology and cultural, historical and spiritual tourism, in which the Quang Yen coastal economic zone will serve as the core and a new driving force for growth of the western route and of the province, which will be developed after the model of “smart city” with smart and modern industrial-service-urban-seaport areas, and as a center for processing and manufacturing industry and hi-tech industry.

- The eastern corridor route will start from Ha Long city to Mong Cai district heading toward the Northeast Asian market; to develop a chain of eco-urban and service areas, trade, high-class integrated tourism, clean agriculture-high technology and marine economy; to base agriculture on the industrial development; to develop Van Don economic zone and Mong Cai border-gate economic zone as two breakthroughs.

- The three dynamic areas will include: (1) The greater Ha Long urban area (embracing Ha Long, Cam Pha, Quang Yen, Uong Bi and Dong Trieu); (2) The sea-mountain-forest tourism urban area (embracing Van Don, Ba Che, Tien Yen and Co To); and (3) The border-gate economic urban area (embracing Mong Cai, Hai Ha, Binh Lieu and Dam Ha).

IV. PLANNING OF THE URBAN SYSTEM AND FUNCTIONAL ZONES

1. Planning of the urban system

- By 2025, Quang Ninh province will have 13 administrative units with 13 urban centers; by 2030, the province will have 12 administrative units with 13 urban centers; Quang Ninh will become a centrally run city on the basis of forming an inner-city area including 7 cities (Ha Long, Cam Pha, Uong Bi, Mong Cai-Hai Ha, Dong Trieu, Quang Yen and Van Don) and re-established Tien Yen town.

- To ensure a harmony between urban development and rural development, and promote the regional connectivity; to accelerate and improve the quality of the urbanization in association with raising of urban economic efficiency, developing cities synchronously in terms of economic and social development, infrastructure, architecture, housing and quality of the people’s life; to attach importance to low-rise construction works and projects with natural and environmentally friendly designs in coastal tourist zones; to expand the urban development space of Ha Long city, taking Cua Luc bay as the center to connect the urban development after a multipolar model to the north; to build a complete and modern socio-economic infrastructure system of Ha Long city, maintaining its grade-I urban center status; to build Mong Cai city and Quang Ha township in association with the construction of the Mong Cai border-gate economic zone and Hai Ha service-seaport industrial park with a synchronous and modern infrastructure system and a complete service network; to attract investment and workforce and ensure a green, clean and beautiful environment; to build and develop urban areas and border trade economy in Bac Phong Sinh and Hoanh Mo-Dong Van border-gate economic zones in parallel with national defense and security maintenance; to build and develop urban areas that are adaptable to climate change, always stay green, smart, civilized and rich in identity, and can lead innovative activities as a driving force for development.

(See details in Appendix I to this Decision).

2. Plans on development of rural areas

- To set orientations for spatial organization of rural areas on the basis of natural conditions and current status to ensure conformity with the objectives of building of a new-style countryside, socio-economic development programs and plans and urbanization process of the province; to plan the construction of concentrated rural residential areas with lower costs of the infrastructure construction in association with agricultural production areas.

- To expeditiously complete rural infrastructure (transport, clean water supply and wastewater drainage systems) in adaptation to climate change, and gradually improve the quality and living environment in rural areas (including conservation and promotion of cultural identities of villages and communes) and conserve the natural environment; to apply smart-commune models and solutions to promote the local socio-economic linkage and development.

3. Planning of functional areas

To renovate, and improve the efficiency of, the attraction of investment, particularly from large and branded investors; to prioritize the attraction of investment in industries that have high technology content, are environmentally friendly and can bring about high added value, thereby quickly increasing the occupancy rate and improving the economic efficiency of existing economic zones, industrial parks and industrial clusters; to carry out in-depth development of economic zones and industrial parks so as to improve the national and international competitiveness; to consolidate the linkage between industrial parks and economic zones of Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city; to form large-scale production clusters for gathering industries; to attract all investment resources, efficiently exploit local potential and advantages, and promote the development of key economic zones. Particularly, to build and develop the Quang Yen coastal economic zone as the core and a new driving force for growth of the province’s western route and of the northern key economic region, which will become a smart and modern urban-industrial-service-seaport area; to build Van Don economic zone into a center of entertainment industry, cultural industry with casino, high-class sea-island tourism and world-class integrated services with a complete and modern socio-economic infrastructure system in combination with conservation and promotion of the value of Bai Tu Long bay; to develop this zone after the model of smart city and as an economic and cultural center of the region; to build Mong Cai border-gate economic zone into one of the dynamic and sustainable economic growth poles of the province and the Northeastern region, which will concurrently serve as an important economic development center of the Tonkin Gulf Coastal Economic Belt.

To plan hi-tech agricultural zones and hi-tech forestry zones as suitable to the province’s potential and advantages; to develop new industrial parks after models appropriate to practical local conditions and bring into full play advantages of every area, including industrial-urban-service areas (in Dong Trieu 2 and Van Ninh); hi-tech industrial park (in Uong Bi); and specialized industrial park (in Viet Hung); to prioritize the development of industrial parks with complete and modern technical infrastructure facilities for clean and environmentally friendly production, efficient use of natural resources and industrial symbiosis, with a view to satisfying the criteria of eco-industrial parks; to formulate new master plans on 8 industrial parks; by 2030, the province will have 23 industrial parks with a total area of some 18,842 ha, of which the land use area by 2030 will be around 5,904 ha; to formulate new master plans on industrial clusters, ensuring the most economical, sustainable and efficient use of land resources and meeting the requirements of rapid and sustainable development of the province.

(See details in Appendices II, III, IV and V to this Decision).

V. PLANS ON DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES

1. Plans on development of the transport network

- To strictly follow orientations of national master plans to develop the province’s  strategic transport infrastructure system to ensure synchronicity, modernity, interconnectivity and overall coverage, and promote regional connectivity (for Hanoi, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Lang Son, Bac Giang, etc.) and intra-regional connectivity (especially between highland and mountainous areas and dynamic zones and urban centers) associated with economic development corridors (the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor; the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor; and coastal economic corridor from Mong Cai, Quang Ninh to Ca Mau) with focus on Rung bridge, Lai Xuan bridge; bridges and roads linking Uong Bi with Thuy Nguyen; bridges/tunnels connecting Tien Phong area with Lach Huyen area; riverside roads linking the Ha Long-Hai Phong expressway and Dong Trieu town; to invest in expanding national highway 279 to the Ha Long-Cam Pha coastal road; to upgrade provincial road 342’s  section from Ha Long to Ba Che and the boundary with Lang Son province; the Tien Yen-Lang Son expressway, national highway 4B, etc.; transport infrastructure linking Dam Ha, Cai Chien and Vinh Thuc islands, and islands of Van Don district.

- To plan urban railways: Dong Trieu-Uong Bi-Quang Yen-Ha Long-Cam Pha-Van Don; and Hai Ha-Mong Cai. After 2030, to develop a system of high-speed railways and overhead tram lines from Dong Trieu to Mong Cai and associated with regional linkages and international cooperation, etc.; to call for and attract investment in building a number of important seaports such as Nam Tien Phong (Yen Hung wharf), Con Ong-Hon Net, Hai Ha and Mui Chua; international-standard marinas at Cua Luc bay; to plan logistics centers associated with the seaport system; a special-use logistics center connected to Van Don airport; logistics centers connected to  Mong Cai, Hoanh Mo-Dong Van, Bac Phong Sinh border-gates; and logistics centers associated with industry, urban zones, agricultural and aquatic zones in the province; to develop ports and landing stages on main inland waterway routes, national inland navigation channels and routes and local inland navigation channels.

- To apply advanced technologies and techniques, and scientific and technological advances in the development of intelligent transport systems, efficient operation and management of transport systems, particularly the transport system linking islands for long-term socio-economic development, ensuring traffic safety, convenience and environmental friendliness, and reducing travel time and costs; to build smart parking lots in key urban centers.

(See details in Appendices VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII and XIV to this Decision).

2. Plans on development of power supply networks

To maintain and develop existing power sources in the locality, limit the opening of new coal-fired power plants; to develop liquefied natural gas (LNG) power in Cam Pha city; to convert 1,640 MW of coal-fired power approved in the adjusted Power Master Plan VII to gas-fueled power; to develop onshore, nearshore and offshore wind power sources with an initial total output of around 2,500 MW, around 49.5 MW generated from waste heat and treated sludge from industrial parks for self-consumption, around 12 MW generated from waste heat of cement plants, around 107 MW from biomass, and power generation projects using emissions and waste heat, garbage power, hydropower and solar power under the master plans; to maintain and develop 500 kV and 220 kV power transmission systems, 110 kV distribution grid system and medium- and low-voltage power sources to meet requirements.

 (See details in Appendix XV to this Decision).

3. Plans on development of telecommunications networks

- To develop information technology infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and an interconnected, synchronous and modern Internet of Things (IoT) network to serve the comprehensive digital transformation, build a digital government, develop digital socio-economy; to create breakthroughs in infrastructure and application of information and communication technology.

- To build a regional postal center in the province, to deploy a digital address platform associated with digital maps in the province; to develop the network of telecommunications infrastructure, focusing on the development of broadband infrastructure; to lay the peripheral cable network underground in the province; to improve the transmission network and increase the sharing and shared use of telecommunications infrastructure in order to ensure service quality, save investment resources, and ensure network safety and urban beauty.

4. Plans on development of hydraulic work, water supply and drainage networks

- To develop hydraulic work toward modernity to ensure water supply and drainage for people’s daily life, serve fire fighting and economic sectors; to take the initiative in preventing, controlling and mitigating disasters, adapting to climate change and sea level rise; to study and invest in upgrading the water moats and wastewater treatment systems of the coal industry so as to create water sources for economic sectors.

- By 2030, the total water demand will be around 1,553,600 m³/day; to build and upgrade urban and rural water supply systems, plan and arrange fire fighting hydrants to meet water demand for production, residential and fire fighting purposes; to prioritize the building of centralized inter-urban, inter-commune water supply systems; to build new centralized water supply systems in communes and on islands to serve residential, production and fire fighting purposes.

- To continue upgrading, expanding, and raising the efficiency of, collection and treatment of large-scale centralized wastewater treatment systems in urban centers, economic zones, industrial parks and cottage industry zones; to pay attention to building urban and rural wastewater drainage systems.

 (See details in Appendix XVI to this Decision).

5. Other infrastructure facilities

a/ Plans on development of cultural and sports infrastructure

To intensify the mobilization of all social resources for physical training and sports activities to become a far-reaching movement with various subjects and resources; to renovate the management mechanism in order to bring into full play the efficiency of cultural and sports institutions, particularly gymnasiums, stadiums, sports palaces, fairs and exhibitions to serve people’s cultural activities; to upgrade the provincial physical training and sports center into a regional sports complex in order to host  regional, national and international sports tournaments, and regular provincial, national and international sports events, thus contributing to tourism and service development; to develop golf courses for sports and tourism, including 6 golf courses currently under construction and 16 newly-planned golf courses to ensure the most economical, sustainable and efficient exploitation and use of land resources; to intensively and sustainably develop physical training and sports activities, develop high-achievement sports, focusing on Olympic sports and sports with provincial strengths; to strive to be in the top 10 leading provinces and centrally run cities at the Vietnam National Games.

 (See detailes in Appedices XVII and XVIII to this Decision).

b/ Plans on development of education and training infrastructure

To build Ha Long University after the model of urban university, striving to become one of the high-quality human resource training centers in the region; and the high-quality Vietnam-Korea College; to continue reviewing and allocating land areas for, planning and reorganizing, the network of education institutions to ensure its synchronicity and compatibility; to invest in advanced, complete and modern physical foundations, especially in rural, mountainous, border and island areas, to meet standardization requirements; to attract investment in private colleges and intermediate schools as well as training and research and development centers in Quang Yen, Van Don, Hai Ha and Mong Cai, etc.; to improve the capacity of training and vocational training institutions toward high quality, giving priority to such fields as processing and manufacturing industry, tourism, services, information technology, information security, electronics, seaport economy and seaport services, etc.

 (See detailes in Appedix XIX to this Decision).

c/ Plans on development of healthcare and social security infrastructure

To rationally develop a smart medical system; to step up the mobilization of all social resources for building and developing high-quality medical facilities; to attract investment in high-quality international-standard private hospitals in Ha Long, Mong Cai and Van Don; to attract investment in nursing homes in Ha Long, Van Don, Tien Yen and Ba Che to meet people’s needs and socio-economic development requirements; to build and develop caring and nurturing facilities for disadvantaged children and homeless elderly people.

(See details in Appendices XX and XXI to this Decision).

d/ Plans on development of commercial infrastructure

- To develop multi-purpose, complex and general trade centers up to Southeast Asian standards, grade-1 hypermarkets and supermarkets to meet shopping needs associated with entertainment and recreation, including: general trade centers in Ha Long city to the north of Cua Luc bay and in Cai Lan port area; a general trade center, an outlet system and a casino near the border gate in Mong Cai city; a multi-purpose trade center and a casino in Cai Bau island, Van Don district.

- To develop an infrastructure system for sufficient, safe and uninterrupted supply and storage of petroleum and gas for socio-economic development, security and national defense of Quang Ninh province and the North with total reserves of around 1,610,000 m³ of petroleum, 747,130 m³ of LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

dd/ Plans on development of science and technology infrastructure

To develop the province’s science and technology and innovation infrastructure capable of absorbing and mastering advanced technologies; to develop a synchronous scientific and technological infrastructure within the province’s socio-economic infrastructure system; to form a scientific and technological discovery and innovation center in Ha Long, Quang Yen, Van Don and Mong Cai; a centralized information and comunication technology park (Ha Long ICT Park); hi-tech agricultural zones in Dong Trieu and Dam Ha; hi-tech forestry zone in Tien Yen; and zones for demonstration, introduction, modeling and testing of application of scientific and technological advances and storing of genetic resources in Tien Yen.

e/ Plans on development of fire prevention and fighting infrastructure

To plan the development of fire prevention and fighting infrastructure for each period to meet socio-economic development requirements. In the 2021-2030 period, to ensure that each locality has at least 1 fire-fighting and rescue and salvage team, which is built in a location convenient for traffic, water sources and communications; to plan water supply, traffic and communication systems in service of fire prevention and fighting in accordance with regulations on construction standards and techical regulations.

VI. PLANS ON DEVELOPMENT OF INTER-DISTRICT AND DISTRICT REGIONS

1. Planning of construction of inter-district regions:

- The Ha Long inter-district region consists of Ha Long city, Quang Yen town, Uong Bi city, Dong Trieu town and Cam Pha city, in which Ha Long city will be the center of the region, Quang Yen town associated with Quang Yen coastal economic zone will serve as a new driving force of growth. The region will have a population of around 1.9 million and cover around 3,028 square kilometers. This will be a multi-sectoral dynamic center of Quang Ninh province with key economic sectors being tourism, services, manufacturing and processing industries, high technology, mining, seaports, clean energy industry, etc.

- The Van Don inter-district region consists of Van Don, Co To, Tien Yen and Ba Che districts, in which Van Don district’s central urban area will be the center of the region. The region will have a population of around 323.500 and cover around 4,145 square kilometers. This region will serve as an economic zone for tourism, clean industry, high technology, logistics, agro-forestry-fisheries, in which Van Don will be a coastal economic zone, a breakthrough point and development center with enhanced connection with the northern mountainous region and southern island region. It will be a new seaward gateway of the northeastern mountainous region.

- The Mong Cai inter-district region consists of Mong Cai city, and Hai Ha, Dam Ha and Binh Lieu districts, in which Mong Cai city associated with Mong Cai border gate economic zone will serve as a breakthrough point and the  region’s center. It will have a population of around 418,900 and cover around 2,671 square kilometers. This will be a  key region for border-gate economic development and border tourism, the ASEAN gateway to northeastern Asian countries with expressway infrastructure and large-scale seaports in Hai Ha and Van Ninh.

2. Planning of construction of district regions

To plan 12 district regions, namely (1) Ha Long city region; (2) Cam Pha city region; (3) Uong Bi city region; (4) Quang Yen town region; (5) Dong Trieu town region; (6) Van Don district region; (7) Tien Yen district region; (8) Ba Che district region; (9) Co To island district region; (10) Mong Cai-Hai Ha region; (11) Dam Ha district region; and (12) Binh Lieu district region, in conformity with the province’s overall development orientations.

VII. PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY; EXPLOITATION, USE AND PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES; DISASTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE

1. Protection of the environment and biodiversity

a/ Environmental protection

To zone off the province’s environment into three zones: (i) the strictly protected zone (N) consisting one strictly conserved sub-zone and one controlled protected sub-zone; (ii) the low-emission zone (H) consisting 7 sub-zones: buffer sub-zone of nature reserves, historical-cultural relic sites or scenic places and beauty spots, natural heritage zones and other areas other than concentrated residential areas in special, grade-I, grade-II, grade-III urban zones), important wetlands sub-zone, one protection corridor sub-zone for surface water sources to be used for domestic water supply, one sub-zone for concentrated residential areas in inner cities and inner towns of grade-IV and grade-V urban centers, one sub-zone for water entertainment facilities, one sub-zone with sensitive environmental factors that are vulnerable to impacts of environmental pollution and in need of protection, and one important ecological landscape sub-zone; and (iii) other zones (K).

 (See details in Appendix XXII to this Decision).

b/ Nature and biodiversity conservation

To plan high-biodiversity areas (SHC), important wetlands (DQT), important ecological landscape areas (CQT), biodiversity corridors (HL), nature reserves (BT), biodiversity conservation facilities (CS).

 (See details in Appendix XXII to this Decision).

c/ Environmental monitoring stations and spots

By 2030, the province will have some 127 surface water and wastewater environment monitoring stations and spots; 8 groundwater environment regular monitoring spots; 80 air environment monitoring stations and spots; 47 soil environment regular monitoring spots; 106 coastal seawater environment monitoring stations and spots; 44 sediment environment regular  monitoring spots, 26 plastic and micro-plastic monitoring spots; 3 radioactive environment monitoring stations and spots, and 14 pesticide residue monitoring spots.

 (See details in Appendix XXIII to this Decision).

d/ Forest protection and development

- To protect and successfully restore natural forest areas; to maintain and consolidate existing special-use forests; to form, restore and regenerate a number of special-use forests, with their areas expanded in association with their ecosystems protected in nature reserves and Ha Long Bay - the world natural heritage site, Bai Tu Long national park, Yen Tu national park, and special-use forests, protection forests and primitive forests.

- To protect biodiversity in wetlands, mangrove forests, conserve rocky mountain ecosystems in Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and adjacent areas; to establish Quang Nam Chau nature reserve (Hai Ha district), Bai Tu Long national park, and Yen Tu national forest; to build infrastructure facilities for the forest protection and development, conservation of biodiversity and the ecosystem of Dong Son-Ky Thuong special-use forests which will become a forest park with a brand associated with the World Natural Heritage - Wonder of Nature of Ha Long Bay.

d/ Cemeteries, crematoriums and funeral homes

The master plan’s orientations for the construction of urban cemeteries and concentrated cremation facilities in accordance with urban master plans, communal concentrated cemeteries in accordance with rural construction master plans; arrangement of funeral homes in urban centers meeting urban center classification standards; to maintain existing cemeteries until they are completely filled; to relocate cemeteries from urban development regions or those that fail to meet environmental requirements.

 (See details in Appendix XXIV to this Decision).

e/ Waste treatment facilities

- Solid waste volume will be estimated at around 2,948,074 tons/year.

- To plan facilities for treating solid waste dispersed in districts and towns of cities (at least 1 treatment facility in each locality or land to be reserved for solid waste treatment facilities to ensure local or inter-district collection and treatment).

- Regarding waste collection and treatment: To collect and transport normal domestic and industrial solid wastes of districts of cities to their solid waste treatment facilities; to collect and treat hazardous solid wastes at hazardous solid waste treatment facilities; to collect and transport medical solid wastes to treatment facilities that are divided by regions and clusters.

- By 2030, the wastewater volume is forecasted to be around 1,126,120 m³/day. Orientations for water drainage: (1) to collect and treat urban and rural wastewater up to standards before being discharged into the environment. For existing residential areas, to use a partially separate drainage system to separate wastewater before treatment at shared treatment stations. For rural areas, to encourage the use of hygienic latrines to collect and treat wastes in a concentrated manner in residential quarters or clusters; (2) to collect and treat industrial wastewater, coal industry wastewater, medical wastewater at facilities up to standards and technical regulations before being discharged into the receiving waters.

 (See details in Appendix XXV to this Decision).

2. Exploitation, use and protection of natural resources

a/ Regarding mineral prospection, extraction and processing

To plan the exploration, exploitation and processing at mineral mining areas and mines in line with sustainable development and green growth viewpoints and in association with the implementation of a roadmap to stop open-pit mining areas, limestone quarries, and cement and thermal power plants in Ha Long city. By 2025, to stop extraction in limestone quarries and the extraction of sand and gravel in all island communes and islands; to refrain from granting new licenses or extend existing licenses for extraction of clay mines, and set a roadmap to stop the extraction of clay mines polluting residential and tourism areas and Ha Long Bay before 2030; to raise the effectiveness and efficiency of the state management of natural resources, coal and minerals in the locality in accordance with the Party’s regulations and the State’s laws; to make the exhaust extraction of mine tail soil and rock for leveling grounds in urban infrastructure development projects, reducing pressure on mine landfills.

 (See details in Appendix XXVI to this Decision).

b/ Mines and areas with unextracted minerals or banned from extraction that need protection for each kind of mineral

- Areas banned from mineral activities, including land areas with historical-cultural relics or scenic places already ranked or delimited for protection under the Law on Cultural Heritages; land areas under special-use forests, protection forests or land areas planned for protection forests and geological conservation zones; land areas planned for national defense or security purposes or in which mineral activities are likely to affect the performance of defense or security tasks; land areas used by religious institutions; land areas within the protection corridors or zones of transport, hydraulic work or dike works; water supply and drainage and waste treatment systems, electricity transmission lines, petrol, oil or gas pipelines or communications systems.

- Areas temporarily banned from mineral activities, including areas with national defense and security or nature conservation requirements; areas with historical-cultural relics or scenic places that are considered by the State for consideration and recognition or with important findings in the process of mineral prospection or mining; areas with disaster prevention and control and disaster consequence remediation requirements.

3. Exploitation, use and protection of water resources, prevention, control and remediation of water-caused harms

- To prioritize the allocation of water sources to entities exploiting and using water in the following order: (1) water for residential use; (2) water for industries; (3) water for tourism and services; (4) water for aquaculture and other fields.

- To plant markers along water source protection corridors; to implement measures to restrict the exploitation and prevent the degradation and depletion of groundwater sources; to build the water resource monitoring and surface water and groundwater exploitation and use system; to implement measures to mitigate pollution caused by waste sources; to build anti-drought, anti-salt water intrusion and anti-waterlogging works such as pumping stations and drainage culverts; to dredge drainage shafts and build dikes and anti-flood facilities; to complete and upgrade the existing network of disaster warning stations; to review, reinforce and upgrade degrading spillways and reservoirs; to stabilize slopes and prevent landslides in flashflood-prone areas.

4. Disaster prevention and control and response to climate change

- To zone off areas facing disaster risks in the locality and determine areas prioritized for prevention and control of different types of disasters.

- To consolidate the system of river dikes, sea dikes, reservoirs, disaster prevention and control and climate change adaptation works; to increase the capacity of climate change-resilient infrastructure systems; to set up the system for monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation activities; to build and update the provincial database on disaster prevention and control; to implement schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including greenhouse gas inventory; to promote the development of the carbon market, economical and efficient use of energy, development and use of new and renewable energies; to intensify activities to reduce greenhouse gases and consolidate greenhouse gas sinks; to set a roadmap to replace coal- and gas-fired thermal power plants with renewable energies toward net zero emissions by 2050; to carry out nature rehabilitation activities.

VIII. PLAN ON DISTRIBUTION AND ZONING OF LAND USE AREAS THROUGH 2030

Land resources shall be fully surveyed, evaluated, inventoried, quantified and accounted in the national economy and planned for efficient, rational, economical and sustainable use with a long-term vision, thus meeting requirements of the socio-economic development, maintenance of national defense and security, development of education, culture and sports, environmental protection, and adaptation to climate change, and creating a driving force for the development of the province. To ensure reasonable distribution of land for use on the basis of balancing land use demands of sectors and fields in conformity with targets of the National Land Use Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period.

(See details in Appendix XXVII to this Decision).

IX. LIST OF PROJECTS PRIORITIZED FOR INVESTMENT

Based on development orientations of key sectors and fields, to identify large and important projects that help create a driving force for promoting growth and socio-economic development for investment and investment attraction, depending on demands and capacity to balance and mobilize investment capital in each period.

(See details in Appendix XXVIII to this Decision).

X. GROUPS OF MAJOR SOLUTIONS

1. Regarding mobilization and use of resources, attraction of investment

- To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration of budget revenues and expenditures and public investment; to tighten financial-budget discipline and order; to enhance the management, exploitation and efficient use of financial resources and public assets at all budget levels in association with the prevention of corruption, negative practices and waste, and “group interests”; to continue restructuring the budget, increase proportions of sustainable revenue sources; to intensify the implementation of solutions to raise budget revenues and combat tax losses; to widely apply electronic invoices; to restructure and improve the efficiency of the capital allocation, management and use; to make selective investment, thereby increasing the disbursement rate in association with improved quality of works and on-schedule completion of projects; to prioritize appropriate allocation of resources from the state budget to lead and promote the attraction of non-state resources for investment in the development of infrastructure systems in localities on the principle of “letting public investment lead private investment”; to refrain from allocating the state budget’s development investment funds to fields and projects in which other economic sectors can invest.

- To step up the administrative reform, improve the business investment environment, improve the provincial competitiveness so as to create breakthroughs in attracting investment capital in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) in the development of strategic infrastructure facilities, particularly transport infrastructure facilities; to resolutely remove unreasonable barriers and informal costs; to consolidate and renew mechanisms, thereby bringing into full play the efficiency of the model of public administration service centers and single-window and inter-agency single-window mechanisms at all levels in conformity with the comprehensive digital transformation; to promote comprehensive digital transformation, build a digital government, develop digital economy, digital society and digital citizenship so as to improve labor productivity and the people’s living quality in a focused and selective manner.

- To strongly develop the private economic sector in terms of quantity, quality, efficiency and sustainability into one of the important driving forces to promote the transformation of development modes and economic restructuring of the province; to develop key products and build brand names of the province, thereby creating linkages between economic sectors and promoting regional linkages; to study and formulate breakthrough mechanisms and policies to attract strategic investors capable of leading investment in the province, form an ecosystem of key economic sectors, and create spillover effects for promoting the development of other businesses.

2. Land resource development solutions

- To step up the digital transformation in the field of land use and management; to urgently complete land information systems and databases; to ensure centralized and unified management, operation, connection and sharing of information from the central level to provincial or district level; to build a real estate market information system in association with land information.

- To properly carry out the work of ground clearance, preparation of clear land areas and production grounds ready to attract investment projects to develop the processing and manufacturing industries; to develop the market, promote the commercialization of land use rights, intensify the registration of land use rights, and apply the auction of land use rights under the market mechanism in order to ensure publicity and transparency; to review and assess the current status of  industrial parks and economic zones in the province in terms of land planning, management and use, investment projects, environmental protection, labor and social infrastructure, ensuring security and order, economic and socio-economic efficiency; to intensify inspection and supervision, thereby promptly detecting and resolutely revoking licenses of projects that are implemented behind set schedules, involve violations, or cause land waste, etc., in accordance with law.

- To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the land management and use, making the most of the land resource value, creating a driving force for development; to step up the appropriate and effective decentralization and delegation of powers among localities; to enhance the inspection, examination, supervision, and handling of violations; to settle land-related disputes, complaints and denunciations; to tighten the discipline and order, and prevent and combat corruption and negative practices; to continue improving and build capacity of institutional public service providers in the field of land.

3. Human resource development solutions

- To study and formulate breakthrough mechanisms and policies to attract high-quality human resources and skilled workers in association with the labor restructuring, increase the population size and improve the population quality, particularly housing policies to attract employees to work in Quang Ninh, including also policies on houses for workers, social houses, houses for low-income earners and houses for high-quality human resources and experts in association with cultural institutions so as to ensure the material and spiritual life of employees working and permanently living in Quang Ninh.

- To focus resources for building and developing the Ha Long University after the model of urban university in order to become one of the leading centers for training high-quality human resources; to expand high-quality training and vocational training institutions, giving priority to key provincial trades and sectors (processing and manufacturing; services, tourism; marine economy, etc.), and strengthening connection of vocational education institutions with the labor market and enterprises; to improve the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees of Quang Ninh province to meet development requirements in the new period; to improve the quality of teachers and education administrators at all levels; to consolidate and improve the quality of the education universalization and of schools up to national standards; to improve the quality of general education and vocational education.

4. Environmental, scientific and technological solutions

- To attach importance to the provision of information and public communication about the role and significance of the environment; to apply the developed countries’ standards on environmental management; to develop and apply circular economy models, practice cleaner production and economically use energy and natural resources, etc., for all sectors and fields in the province; to promote the inter-provincial cooperation with neighboring localities in environmental protection, particularly marine environmental protection, forest protection, biodiversity protection and pollution treatment among contiguous areas and common areas; at the same time, to promote international cooperation and develop science and technology for environmental protection.

- To expand and intensify the application of scientific and technological advances, particularly information technology, for all economic fields such as processing, manufacturing, electricity production, mining, tourism, commerce, logistics, finance, agriculture, marine economy, and seaport and such social fields as healthcare, education, culture, information and communications, and build an e-government and eventually a digital government and smart cities.

5. Development association mechanism and policy solutions

a/ Regarding international cooperation

To take the initiative in comprehensively, synchronously and effectively implementing the external policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification; to take the initiative in actively integrating into the globe, thereby  creating a posture of interweaving interests in the province and each provincial locality; to intensify the work of external information, focusing on promoting the image of the land and people of Quang Ninh province and Vietnam; to improve the international integration capacity for businesses and local people; to efficiently implement international commitments and free trade agreements; to intensify cooperation and friendship activities with localities of the People’s Republic of China, thus creating a favorable environment for socio-economic development; to build a borderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development; to study and conclude more agreements to establish friendly relations and exchanges, and cooperation with provinces and cities with similar conditions or different comparative advantages of countries in the ASEAN, Northeast Asia, Europe and America in order to promote investment, trade, tourism, etc.

b/ Regarding regional cooperation

To intensify the application of various forms of linkage and cooperation to meet demands and suit strengths of localities in the capital city region, Red River delta, northern key economic region, development triangle and quadrangle, etc., thus creating the unanimity and concerted strength in the fields of economy, culture, social affairs, national defense and security of Quang Ninh and each locality in the province, the whole region and the whole country, particularly in the fields of transport infrastructure development; education and training, provision of high-quality human resources and skilled workers; production and consumption of products; formation and development of tourism services and product chains; management and protection of the ecological environment, coal and mineral resources; development of digital economy and digital society, promotion of investment, and maintenance of social order and security, etc.; to study and propose the formulation of specific mechanisms and policies for the region, including specific policies for building and developing Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province into a marine economic center, building the Mong Cai-Dong Hung bilateral economic cooperation zone, thereby creating a driving force for promoting regional linkages as well as international cooperation, and breakthrough mechanisms and policies for the development of Van Don economic zone, etc.

6. Urban and rural development management and control solutions

- To study urban and rural development management models and practices around the world in order to improve local administrations’ management and execution capacity; to apply advanced technical measures in the urban and rural development management in order to ensure modern, civilized and environmentally friendly development; to develop and synchronously implement mechanisms and policies to develop central cities of the region into modern and smart cities capable of leading and creating spillover effects and linking urban areas; to use urban planning and socio-economic development planning tools and other market tools to regulate and strictly control the urban population growth.

- To strictly manage and supervise the building of social and technical infrastructure systems, ensuring its synchronism and connectivity with the general infrastructure network of the locality and adjacent areas; to continue effectively implementing national projects and programs on Vietnam’s urban development in response to climate change and prevention and control of disaster and epidemics; to carry out urban renovation, embellishment, reconstruction and upgrading; to build and develop smart cities; to build new rural areas in conformity with urbanization orientations.

7. Solutions for organizing and supervising the implementation of the Master Plan

- To organize the publicization of the Master Plan in various forms, thereby creating a consensus and agreement in the implementation thereof; to intensify activities of investment promotion, introduction and promotion of local potential and advantages among domestic and foreign investors; to introduce programs and projects prioritized for investment and calling for investment in key projects.

- To review, adjust and supplement existing general master plans, district construction master plans, district land use master plans and other master plans, and formulate new ones in accordance with the planning law in a synchronous manner.

- To formulate action plans, regularly update and concretize planning contents into 5-year and annual plans. All levels, sectors and district-level People’s Committees shall review, adjust and supplement development programs and plans in conformity with approved master plans. In the course of implementation, to periodically evaluate and monitor the implementation of master plans under regulations.

- To renew the implementation of master plans in conformity with practical requirements and international practices; to arrange dedicated leadership apparatuses and capable officials with an effective and efficient management mechanism for successful implementation of the Master Plan.

XI. PLANNING MAPS

A detailed list of planning maps of Quang Ninh province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050, is provided in Appendix XXIX.

Article 2

1. The Master Plan approved under this Decision serves as a basis for the formulation of urban and rural master plans, technical and specialized master plans in Quang Ninh province in accordance with relevant laws.

2. To assign the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province to perform the following tasks:

a/ To organize the announcement and publicization of the Master Plan after it is approved by the Prime Minister in accordance with the planning law.

b/ To review and finalize a complete system of diagrams, maps, databases and dossiers of the Master Plan in accordance with the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s opinions in Document No. 457/KHDT-QLQH of January 18, 2023.

c/ To formulate and submit to the competent agency for promulgation the Plan on implementation of the Master Plan; to organize the implementation of the Master Plan in association with direction of the implementation of socio-economic development tasks in the locality; to evaluate the implementation of the Master Plan in accordance with the Planning Law.

d/ To study, develop and promulgate according to its competence or submit to competent authorities for promulgation mechanisms, policies and solutions to attract investment, ensure financial resources, social security, national defense and security, develop human resources, science, technology, and environmental protection to implement the objectives, tasks and orientations set forth in the Master Plan.

dd/ To review and report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on the adjustment of the Master Plan, ensuring consistency with the national and regional master plans decided or approved by competent authorities under Point c, Clause 1, Article 2 of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 61/2022/QH15 of June 16, 2022.

e/ Projects planned for after-2030 investment in socio-economic development for which recources can be mobilized shall be reported to competent authorities for approval of earlier investment.

3. The Chairperson of the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province shall take the total responsibility before law for the accuracy of contents, information, data, documents, maps and databases in the Master Plan’s dossier.

4. The approval of or decision on investment policy and implementation of investment projects in the locality must be consistent with the contents specified in Article 1 of this Decision, other relevant master plans, ensuring the complete implementation in accordance with the order, procedures, competence and relevant current regulations.

In the course of implementation of specific projects, agencies competent to approve or decide on investment policy shall take full responsibility before law for determining project locations, areas, scale and capacity and investment phases, ensuring the compliance with actual development requirements of the province in each period and in accordance with relevant current regulations.

Article 3. Related ministries and sectors shall, within the ambit of their assigned functions and tasks, guide the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province in implementing the Master Plan; and when necessary, coordinate with the province in studying, developing or submitting to competent authorities for promulgation appropriate mechanisms and policies in order to mobilize and efficiently use resources for implementation of the Master Plan.

Article 4. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 5. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and the Chairperson of the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Minister
TRAN HONG HA

* The Appendices to this Decision are not translated.