Quyết định 98/2008/QĐ-TTg của Thủ tướng Chính phủ về việc phê duyệt Quy hoạch phát triển Hành lang kinh tế Lạng Sơn - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng - Quảng Ninh đến năm 2020

DECISION

APPROVING THE PLANNING ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE LANG SON-HA NOI-HAI PHONG-QUANG NINH ECONOMIC CORRIDOR UP TO 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Political Bureau's Resolution No. 37-NQ/TW of July 1, 2004, on orientations for socio-economic development and defense and security maintenance in the northern midland and mountainous region up to 2010;

At the proposal of the Minister of Planning and Investment,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the Planning on development of the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor up to 2020 with the following principal contents:

1. Guiding principles, viewpoints and ideas for cooperation in developing the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor

a/ Vietnam-China two corridors, one belt economic cooperation must adhere to the following principles:

- To ensure each country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and non-impact on the investment environment, cooperation and relationship of each country with a third country. At the same time, to substantially contribute to promoting each country's multilateral cooperation. The two sides shall seek measures to develop on the basis of-each country's specific conditions and development level: to ensure sustainable economic, social, security and environmental development in line with each country's socio-economic development strategies, plannings and plans. For each matter of cooperation, the two sides shall base on their friendship, equality, mutual benefit, mutual development and overall economic-trade relationship to hold dialogues in order to mutually build a healthy cooperative environment;

- To step by step and firmly enter into cooperation on matters which are necessary, ripe and practically effective first, then matters in oilier domains: to conduct cooperation within a common framework based on mutual task assignment and close coordination. Cooperation matters under the Scheme should be considered and settled within the framework of bilateral overall cooperation; the two countries' concerned brandies and provinces shall, based on their specific conditions, put forward cooperation matters in an order of priority as specified by the two governments. To enter into cooperation through different channels (governments, enterprises and the private sector); to ensure that cooperation matters which are simple and urgent will be prioritized, step by step developed from points to lines and from lines to wider areas;

- To ensure political stability, defense and security and protect the eco-environment of each country. The two countries' border region is an area inhabited by ethnic minority people and hit by numerous economic and social difficulties. Therefore, the "two corridors, one belt" economic cooperation will contribute to improving people's living standards, increasing incomes, raising the level of enjoyment of healthcare and educational services, and minimizing crimes and social evils such as cross-border human and drug trafficking.

b/ Guiding viewpoints and ideas for cooperation in developing the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor:

- The economic corridor development cooperation as a form of open-door cooperation shall be carried out within the framework of China-Vietnam' economic and trade cooperation, ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3 and GMS regional cooperation mechanisms and WTO. The two sides shall observe the rules of the two countries' overall cooperation framework as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms in order to formulate sustainable and stable development and economic development cooperation strategies;

- To take the lead in the "two corridors, one belt" development program and take into account the development of the entire corridor to Europe and other ASEAN countries;

- Importance must be attached to effectiveness and sustainable development assurance right from the beginning. To enhance economic links within the region and, at the same time, promote exchanges among localities in the corridor and neighboring localities in each country's development process, in order to push up economic restructuring in the direction of raising effectiveness in each sector and province in the region;

- To settle simple matters first and difficult ones later. Initially, to focus cooperation in trade and investment, industrial and agricultural production, tourism, capital construction and natural resource exploitation. Then, to expand cooperation to other domains.

2. Major objectives and tasks for developing the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor

a/ Overall objectives: To build the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor with a modem and complete infrastructure and an investment environment which is competitive and favorable for economic and trade development and development cooperation between the two countries' border provinces, creating favorable conditions for enterprises of the two countries and third countries to enter into cooperation so that the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor can become a new place of growth in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, bring into play its important role in China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation and act as an important part of the entire Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh line.

b/ Specific development and cooperation objectives of the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor:

- To increase the entire corridor's GDP growth rate to 1.2-1.4 times higher than the average national growth rate;

- To increase the total import-export turnover across the economic corridor by 20%/year on average, reaching USD 2 billion by 2010, USD 4.5-5 billion by 2015, and over USD 10 billion by 2020;

- To complete main trunk roads and finalize a legal framework for the two countries' economic activities along this corridor;

By 2015, the two sides will join in tax reduction plans of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. First of all, to cooperate in transport, natural resource processing, electricity generation, border gate construction, investment and trade facilitation, giving priority to projects for which all conditions have been satisfied, and stimulate other domains to develop;

To complete the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh 6-lane expressway linking with the Nanning-Pingxiang expressway. The two sides will renovate and upgrade the Nanning-Pingxiang-Lang Son-Hanoi railway up to 1,435 mm-gauge international standard;

To build Dong Dang-Pingxiang border economic cooperation zone and some trade and tourist centers in the corridor and a depot zone in Bac Giang;

After 2015, economic cooperation in the corridor will be conducted in a comprehensive manner; bilateral cooperation in different domains will be gradually put into order and diversified multilateral cooperation mechanisms will be formulated. At the same time, to attract enterprises of other ASEAN countries in the cooperation to promote the vigorous development of China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation ties.

3. Development orientations and cooperation for the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor

a/ Trade development orientations and cooperation:

- To strive to increase Vietnamese provinces' total export turnover by 20%/year on average. By 2020, the total retailed goods circulation and consumer service turnover will grow by 20%/year on average;

- To enhance trade promotion and advertisement for product trademarks, firstly build brands of farm produce; to step up and widely apply goods and service quality management measures such as ISO standards and food hygiene and safety standards, creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese commodities to easily penetrate into the Chinese market;

- To cooperate in developing quota-regulated trade. To associate trade development with production and investment inside and outside the corridor area. To encourage provincial enterprises to cooperate in investing in production, natural resource exploitation, aquaculture and project contracting. To continue stepping up the import of farm produce, aquatic products and minerals;

In order to promote bilateral in the corridors, to formulate favorable mechanisms regarding import and export taxes, immigration, customs procedures, goods quarantine, and travel procedures for means of transport. To prevent and eliminate smuggling and trade fraud by increasing the circulation of commodities to meet consumer demands and tastes in terms of quantity, quality and category;

- To cooperate in developing border trade and maintaining the stability and consistency of current border trade policies, and further building complete border-gate infrastructure for strongly developing economic, trade and tourist activities. To establish regular working mechanisms and meetings in order to promptly settle problems arising in border trade and create an open and equal environment for continuous, healthy and stable development of border trade;

- To cooperate in facilitating customs clearance in the China-Vietnam border areas within the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh corridor, including 3 pairs of international border gates, 4 pairs of main border gates and 13 pairs of border marketplaces. The two sides will discuss to conduct single check of imports and exports at all border gates in the corridor,

- To cooperate in developing border-gate economic zones as well as border trade centers and marketplaces. The two sides will step up cooperation in maintaining and developing the network of border marketplaces. In addition, to consider the formation of big trade centers for imports and exports, creating a positive breakthrough in bilateral trade.

To build Dong Dang-Pingxiang border economic cooperation zone specialized in export processing, goods circulation and international trade:

- To cooperate in developing a warehouse system. The two sides should further promote measures to reduce the customs clearance duration and establish a modem system of preservation warehouses (cold storage) for goods pending customs clearance in order to prolong the goods preservation duration.

b/ Tourism development orientations and cooperation:

"Open" tourism development orientations for the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh international economic corridor permit the organization of a system of tourist routes and sites with different forms of tourism and attractive tourist products matching the region's tourist development level and position in the national tourism development strategy;

- To develop specific tourist products such as tours to learn about cultures of Vietnamese ethnicities (traditional cultural and ail relics of the Vietnamese community and ethnic minority groups in the northern mountainous region, festivities and spiritual activities of civilizations and cultures of ethnic minorities: traditional craft villages); tours to study typical eco-systems and biodiversity; sport-trekking tours in typical topographical areas and along big rivers; sightseeing and recreation at scenic places;

-To build transnational tourist routes: The two sides will build transnational and international tourist routes and tourist sites in the economic corridor such as the Ho Chi Minh City-Hue-Hanoi-Lang Son-Nanning-Guangzhou-Shenzhen; the Ho Chi Minh City-Hue-Hanoi-Nanning-Kueilin-Beijing; the "Following Uncle Ho's steps" tour; the China-Vietnam Ho Chi Minh trail tour; high-grade special-purpose ship tour in the Tonkin gulf; the Lang Son-Hanoi-northern delta provinces tour; and the Cao Bang-Bac Kan-Thai Nguyen-Hanoi-northern delta provinces tour. There will also be tourist routes within sub-regions such as Thai Nguyen-Ba Be-Cao Bang-Ban Gioc-Lang Son: and Bac Giang-Lang Son-Cao Bang-Bac Kan-Thai Nguyen-Tuyen Quang-Ha Giang;

- To create special tourist products: The two sides will cooperate in studying and creating unique tourist products. Tourist products must contain specific cultural values for advertising each locality's culture and contribute to raising incomes of low-income earners. Under this guideline, the two sides may cooperate in developing local traditional craft products.

To step up cooperation in training and developing human resources for tourism and tourist technologies, sciences and techniques.

c/ Industrial development orientations and cooperation:

- To mobilize all resources and create a favorable investment environment for building industrial parks, trade zones, tourist-service zones, industrial and cottage industry clusters and craft villages in districts in order to attract domestic and foreign investment. To promote investment in food processing, mineral mining and processing, consumer goods production, mechanical engineering, handicrafts and fine-arts production and hi-tech industries (biology and new materials);

- Mining industries: Tinh Tuc tin complex, a manganese mine and iron ores mined on a small scale are located in Cao Bang province. To mine coal for the thermo-power plant, mine clay ore, sand and gravel for construction activities, and mine britholite and iron ores. Exploration must be conducted first with priority given to potential minerals. To procure modem technologies and equipment for increasing productivity and reducing production costs. To diversify production scales on the basis on protecting natural resources and the eco-environment for sustainable and effective development. To adopt appropriate policies to attract investment capital from all economic sectors (especially foreign investment in hi-tech industries);

To mine minerals simultaneously with deeply processing mined minerals in order to create jobs for inhabitants in mining areas;

- Chemical-fertilizer industries: To expand nitrogenous fertilizer and chemical factories; to attract investors in manufacturing household plastic articles, plastics molds, PVC packings and materials, composites, industrial detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals;

- Hi-tech and mechanical engineering industries: To focus investment in urban centers with advantages, especially good infrastructure and people's high educational level such as Bac Ninh, Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ha Long (Quang Ninh). Precision mechanical, electronic, information technology, automation and complicated and high precision products, automobiles, motorcycles, machines and equipment will be manufactured in industrial parks in Hanoi, Hai Phong and along the Bac Ninh-Bac Giang economic corridor. Heavy mechanical, extra-long and extra-heavy products should be developed in areas with favorable transport conditions in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

In Bac Ninh, Hanoi and Hai Phong, priority will be given to projects on software industry, manufacture of electronic components, civil hi-tech electronic commodities such as plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, audio-visual equipment, computers, cell phones, telecommunications equipment, electric cables, and electric household appliances such as washing machines, microwaves, refrigerators, fridges, vacuum cleaners.

- Agricultural and forest product processing industries: To focus agricultural and forest product and food processing industries in branches with competitive edge and abundant material sources such as food and fruit processing, liquor, beer, home furniture and plywood. To diversify products and ensure their quality for local and overseas consumption. To adopt appropriate policies to attract investment capital from different economic sectors, especially foreign investment capital and advanced technologies. To encourage medium- and small-sized enterprises to participate in processing industries and protect the eco-environment, especially watershed forests;

- Textiles, garments and leather footwear industries: To develop mechanization and maintain and develop traditional textiles and garments in local craft villages in association with environmental protection. To reorganize quality and trade management systems and build brands of traditional textiles and garments for each craft village, ethnicity or locality in service of tourism and export. To attract investment in knitwear and yam spinning factories and the manufacture of auxiliary materials for textile and garment, leather tanning and canvas shoe industries;

- Construction material industry: To develop some cement factories in Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces. To develop tunnel brick factories in BacKan, Lang Son and Cao Bang provinces. To attract investment in manufacturing construction stones, refractory materials, fireclay bricks and fine-art pottery and porcelain for local use and export;

- In Hai Phong, to cooperate in heavy industries such as shipbuilding and manufacture of the shipbuilding industry's support equipment;

- The area from Nhu Nguyet bridge (Bac Ninh-Bac Giang) northwards has many advantages for cooperation with China in the manufacture of equipment and machines, electrical household appliances, livestock feed, garments and pharmaceuticals;

- In other provinces in the economic corridor, to cooperate with Chinese partners in the production of sugarcane, paper, agricultural machines, artificial boards, insecticides and fertilizers, mining and deep processing of mineral s, and hydropower development;

-To cooperate in building factories for refining cast iron, steel and non-ferrous metals from local ores; "to cooperate in ore mining and enriching, manufacture engineering, especially manufacture of light trucks, components of all kinds, consumer metallic goods, electrical household appliances, and trademark research; to cooperate in manufacturing and providing machines and equipment and manufacturing spare parts for construction material factories; to cooperate in manufacturing raw materials and accessories for the textile and garment industry.

d/ Cooperation in developing cargo and passenger transportation:

To attach importance to improving infrastructure for cargo and passenger transportation. Regarding passenger transportation, the two sides may establish cross-border bus routes for reducing travel costs and offset costs with tourism and trade revenues; to develop express train routes in order to reduce passengers' travel time.

To modernize transportation services at Vietnamese seaports in order to reduce service charges per ton of cargo, and raise the competitiveness of cargo transportation services along trunk roads.

dd/ Agricultural and forestry development orientations and cooperation:

Natural conditions in the two countries' border provinces are similar, with subtropical monsoon climate, adequate rainfall, abundant land resources, favorable agricultural conditions and plant varieties such as rice, wheat, sugarcane, maize, tea. cassava and groundnut. This serves as a basis for the two countries' close cooperation in agriculture. Bilateral cooperation domains include:

-To improve the legal framework and establish standards and sign bilateral agreements on animal and plant quarantine; to identify animal and plant origins: to prevent and control epidemics related to agricultural, forest and aquatic products in border areas: to exploit and protect basins of rivers running through the two countries;

- To cooperate in developing agricultural activities and domains in which the two countries have potential and advantages which can complement each other such as research and supply of high-yield and -quality plant varieties and animal breeds (selection and creation of new plant varieties and animal breeds and supply of parental breeds; facilitating Chinese enterprises to enter into joint ventures to produce varieties and breeds in Vietnam); pharmaceuticals of animal and plant origin, manufacture of vaccines;

- To cooperate in developing irrigation systems and small hydropower plants;

- To cooperate in planting economic forests and protecting watershed protection forests. To enhance cooperation in exploiting and protecting common rivers such as Red River and rivers running along the two countries borders;

- To cooperate in developing trade in farm produce such as tropical and temperate vegetables and fruits; rubber, coffee, cashew, tea, pepper; timber and aquatic products. To elaborate agreements on quota-regulated import and export; to expand border trade in agricultural, forest and fishery products;

- To cooperate in training research and management personnel. To cooperate in agricultural training and scientific research and exchange of agricultural experts.

e/ Cultural, healthcare, educational and scientific-technological development cooperation orientations:

- In addition to economic development cooperation, the two sides will promote cooperation in cultural, healthcare, education and scientific-technological domains;

-To cooperate in tertiary training, job training, training of managers and grassroots health workers; to cooperate in investing in the development of training and healthcare establishments in Vietnam;

- To cooperate in cultural exchanges between localities in the corridor in order to better the understanding about local customs and habits and contribute to tightening relations between the two countries;

- To cooperate in art performances, cinematography, exhibitions, press, publication, broadcasting and television;

- To cooperate in sports;

- To cooperate in scientific-technological research.

g/ Cooperation orientations for environmental protection and warning of catastrophes and natural disasters:

- The two sides should regularly exchange information on environmental changes; closely cooperate in public information work for raising the people's sense of environmental protection; and formulate common legal frameworks for regulating and handling acts of damaging the environment. Specific areas of cooperation include land survey and cartography; management of water resources and river basins; hydrometeorology in the mainland and at sea;

- To cooperate in protecting the environment, especially water environment, protecting and rationally using natural resources. To build the entire region's green, clean, beautiful and civilized environment up to the average regional level;

- To tackle pollution of the water environment, especially polluted rivers in the region;

- For urban areas: To manage and build modem water and waste treatment establishments; to make adequate investment in new urban centers for sustainable environment protection;

- For industrial parks: The State will adopt policies to support these parks, while enterprises will work out plans to protect the environment and properly invest in water and waste treatment; to apply technical advances in production sectors for minimizing adverse impacts on the environment;

- For rural areas: To plan residential quarters in association with environmental protection. To protect water sources for rural daily life and focus on environmental treatment in craft villages;

- To develop in a sustainable manner the eco-environment in close relation with rational and effective exploitation and use of natural resources in agricultural and forestry development.

h/ Orientations for maintaining security and defense along the borders and in the corridor:

- To plan land for defense and security purposes in association with planning die system of defense and security works, especially in high and important places in the spirit of cooperation, friendship and assurance of territorial sovereignty of each country;

- To build a system of defense works as the outpost along the country's border and effectively serve economic development. To properly deploy defense and security forces to ensure the fulfillment of defense and security tasks;

- To firmly build all-people defense and people's security posture along the border;

- To cooperate in formulating plans to assure defense, security and order along the border;

- Ministries, branches and localities shall join defense forces in planning socio-economic development so as to ensure compliance with current major defense plannings in the corridor area;

- Regarding security and defense: To identify economic capacity in association with defense and security, especially in border areas. Initially, to formulate a specific planning in order to relocate people to settle in areas close to the borderline, serving as the rear for border guard units;

- To closely coordinate in maintaining security and preventing crimes and social evils operating under the cover of tourist activities such as prostitution, human trafficking, pickpocket, robbery, etc.

i/ Orientations for developing economic centers along the corridor:

- To build Hanoi capital and Hai Phong city into big economic centers with high and sustainable growth rates, taking into consideration their relationship with Nanning and Kunming cities in the Vietnam-China two corridors, one belt economic cooperation;

- To build Hanoi into an international city of Vietnam with a population of 100 million and a big economic center of die Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong economic corridor; a goods trading and circulation center; a financial and banking center; a tourist and import-export center; an industrial center and a transport hub; a high-quality service center; and a communication center linking Vietnam with China and the Southeast Asian region. To build Hanoi into an economic growth pole with a modern economic structure in the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor;

- To build Hai Phong as an important gateway port city of the two economic corridors and the entire northern region; a modem industrial center; a national-level central urban area; an important transport hub; an important pole of growth in the economic corridor; a key place for marine economic development; and one of large trade centers of the economic corridor and the whole country. Hai Phong will become a big tourist center in Vietnam and serve as a development cooperation area in Vietnam-China two corridors, one belt; and a large maritime and sea-shipping service center in the corridor and of Vietnam;

- To build Dong Dang border-gate economic zone as a starting point for development cooperation in the economic corridor as well as industrial parks and clusters in Lang Son. At the same time, this zone will be a place for direct trade promotion between sellers and buyers and a cross-border open economic zone. Dong Dang border-gate economic zone will have adequate infrastructure such as roads, electricity, communication, water supply and drainage; non-tariff area, goods processing industrial park linked with border gates, which will play a key role in combining trade and tourist service development with the corridor's road and railway border gates;

- The Dong Dang-Lang Son city urban cluster, with the development of Dong Dang border-gate economic zone, will be an area with a dynamic economy, a trade, service and tourist center, a large place for goods transit and trade within the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong corridor and the China + ASEAN region;

- To develop industrial parks and clusters linked with urban areas: Dong Banh industrial park (207 ha) with Dong Banh cement factory of 1.4 million tons/year as a core linked with Dong Banh urban center; the Lang Son-Cao Bang-Dong Dang industrial cluster (100 ha) in association with urban development; the Loc Binh-Na Duong industrial and urban cluster (560 ha); the Binh Gia-Bac Son industrial and urban cluster (50 ha); and the Van Lang-Trang Dinh industrial and urban cluster (30 ha);

- To develop Bac Giang city, and Bac Giang province's urban centers along the former national highway 1As Nenh (Viet Yen)-Kep (Lang Giang) section. To build Bac Giang city into a political, economic, cultural, scientific-technical: training, service and tourist center of the province. It will serve as a motive force for economic, industrial, trade, service and tourist center for promoting socio-economic development in some regional-level specialized domains. Bac Giang city's population will be 263,000 by 2020, including 210.000 people in the inner city and 53.000 in the suburbs. Bac Giang city will have Thuong river as the center and develop mainly towards the north, the south and the west. After 2010, to turn Bac Giang city into a grade-II urban center of 65 km2;

+ Distribution of industrial and urban areas in the south-north direction along the economic corridor (national highway lA) from Nhu Nguyet bridge to Luong bridge with a length of 37.5 km: There will be 3 industrial parks, including Dinh Tram industrial park (101 ha): Dong Vang automobile industrial cluster (40 ha): Quang Chau industrial park, phases I and II (615 ha) under ground clearance; Song Khe-Noi Hoang industrial park (210 ha) in which infrastructure is being completed; a hi-tech industrial park; and Van Trung-Noi Hoang service urban area (1.000 ha):

Satellite industrial urban centers such as Dinh Tram (Viet Yen), Song Khe-Noi Hoang (Yen Dung), Kep, Voi, Bich Dong, Nenh and Que Nham will be upgraded into grade-IV urban centers;

To upgrade some district centers into townships, such as Tan Dan (Tan An-Yen Dung), Mo Trang (Yen The) and Thanh Son (Son Dong);

By 2020, to plan and build new section 1A from Nhu Nguyet bridge to Lang Giang industrial cluster, including Dinh Tram industrial park, Dong Vang Viet Yen, Van Trung industrial park, Quang Chau industrial park, Song Khe Noi Hoang industrial cluster, Coc Street industrial cluster, Lang Giang industrial cluster and Dong Bac industrial cluster, Bac Giang city;

+ Distribution of industrial and urban areas from the east to west along national highway 37 from Dinh Tram industrial park to Thang township (Hiep Hoa), provincial road 296 linking with national highway 3, Hiep Hoa industrial park of 500 ha; and 2 small industrial clusters of 10-15 ha;

+ Distribution of industrial and urban areas from the northwest to southeast along provincial road 398 linked with the Noi Bai-Ha Long expressway; Yen Dung industrial cluster (30 ha); Tau Thuy industrial cluster (100 ha); and the industrial clusters of Tan Yen (25 ha); Nha Nam (15 ha); Yen The (15 ha); and Mo Trang (15 ha);

+ Distribution of industrial and urban areas from the southwest to northeast along national highway 31 linked with Electricity-Coal industrial park: Cau Lo-LucNam industrial park (100 ha); Thanh Son industrial park combined with Son Dong thermo-power plant (100 ha); and Doi Ngo industrial cluster (20 ha);

- To build Bac Ninh city into a provincial political, economic, cultural and social center. The city's population will be 100,000-150,000 by 2010, and 200,000-250,000 by 2020. To expand Bac Ninh city to the east; to build a new urban trunk road running along and around 800 m away from national highway 1. Central areas will not be formed in clusters with similar functions but distributed surrounding important roads junctions to form a system running through the urban center. Bac Ninh city will have Dai Kim industrial, urban and service complex of 1,000 ha;

- Tien Son new urban center: To build new Tien Son urban center together with forming Tien Son industrial park of 500 ha, which will be expanded to 600 ha in phase III; and Dai Dong-Hoan Son industrial park of 300 ha. It is expected to develop the urban space towards the industrial park's east and west along old and new national highways 1 with an area of 500 ha, including the industrial park;

- Tu Son town is a grade-IV urban center. Southern Tu Son new urban center is being built into a big urban center in the south of Bac Ninh province combined with VSIP Vietnam-Singapore industrial park and urban area of 700 ha, including 500 ha for the industrial park and 200 ha for the urban area;

- Pho Moi township combined with 770-ha Que Vo industrial park, 640-ha Que Vo II industrial park urban area, including 570 ha for the industrial park and 70 ha for the urban area;

- Yen Phong industrial park-urban area of 300 ha;

- Yen Phong II industrial park-urban area of 1,000 ha, with Japanese Orix Group as the investor;

- Nam Son-Hap Linh industrial park and urban area of 800-1,000 ha, including 600-700 ha for the industrial park and 200-300 ha for the urban area, with South Korean IGS Group being the investor;

- Thuan Thanh industrial park of 200 ha;

- Thuan Thanh 2 and 3, Luong Tai and Gia Binh industrial parks of 200-300 ha/park being planned.

Article 2.-Major solutions and tasks of the two countries' administrations and localities in the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor

1. To accelerate the plan on infrastructure construction cooperation

a/ Road network development:

- To build the Hanoi-Huu Nghi Quan (Lang Son) 6-lane expressway with total investment capital estimated at USD 1.4 billion in the form of BOT contract;

. - To build the Hanoi-Hai Phong 6-lane expressway extending to Lach Huyen port with total investment capital estimated at VND 19,610 billion, the construction of which is expected to start in 2008 and complete in 2010;

- To build the 144 km-long Noi Bai-Ha Long expressway starting from Thang Long-Noi Bai expressway to Ha Long city in the form of BOT contract;

- To rapidly execute projects on construction and upgrading of roads linking national highways and to Hai Phong port. To upgrade and expand national highways to major border gates, facilitating the transportation of goods from border provinces to the economic centers in the inland such as Hanoi and Hai Phong. To facilitate transited goods to rapidly access the Hai Phong seaport system;

- Cao Bang-Lang Son-Quang Ninh national highways 4A and 4B will be upgraded up to grade-III road standards, linking Cao Bang and Lang Son with Quang Ninh to the Hai Ha seaport area;

-To upgrade national highway 31 up to grade-IV road standards, from Bac Giang city through Doi Ngo township (Luc Ngan), An Chau township (Son Dong), Dinh Lap township, to Na Lam border gate;

- To upgrade national highway 279 up to grade-IV road standards, from the intersection with national highway 3 running through Na Ri (Bac Kan) to Binh Gia linking with national highway 1B to Dong Mo through An Chau (Son Dong) to Troi (Hoanh Bo-Quang Ninh) linking with national highway 18;

- To upgrade national highway 3B up to grade-IV road standards, from Xuat Hoa T-junction (national highway 3) through Yen Lac (NaRi) to That Khe (Trang Dinh) linking with Ban Rao border gate;

- To upgrade national highway 37 up to grade-IV road standards, from Thai Nguyen through Duc Thang (Hiep Hoa) and Bich Dong (Viet Yen), linking with national highway 1A, and from Kep through Luc Ngan linking with national highway 18 in Sao Do (Hai Duong);

- To build national highway 3 linking Hanoi with Thai Nguyen up to expressway standards during 2008-2011;

- To build Nhat Tan bridge, road 2 from Nhat Tan bridge to Noi Bai airport and the Noi Bai-Thang Long expressway;

-To upgrade national highway 38 up to grade-IV road standards, linking national highway 5 running through Ho township to Bac Ninh city;

- To upgrade provincial road 282 into a national highway up to grade-IV road standards linking national highway 5 with national highway 18, running in the east-south of Bac Ninh province.

b/ Railway development:

In the immediate future, to concentrate investment capital on developing railways up to international 1,435 mm-gauge standard, electrify them, and proceed to linking them with the two countries' main railways. Vietnam will cooperate with China in building international railways beneficial to the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor;

To upgrade the Kep-Ha Long railway section of 134 km and the Chi Linh-Ha Long 1,435 mm-gauge railway section of 69 km in length, then modernize the communication system;

To modernize the Dong Anh-Thai Nguyen railway section. To build new Yen Vien-Pha Lai railway section and a section linking to Cai Lan port for increasing the capacity to transport cargo from Cai Lan port to Hanoi. This section will be 42 km long and expectedly built during 2010-2020.

c/ Orientations for waterway transportation in the corridor:

To focus on exploiting waterway routes from seaports to Hanoi city. To build Pha Lai port into a major port of the corridor's waterway routes.

- Regarding channels, to complete them up to technical standards, ensuring 24/24 hour ship operation: Lach Giang-Hanoi up to grade-I standards; Hai Phong-Hanoi (crossing Duong river) up to grade-II standards; for river ports, to deeply invest in upgrading some major ports and building some local ports;

To expand river ports and renovate riverways linking Hanoi with Quang Ninh:

- River ports: To invest in upgrading some major ports and building some local ports. To furnish equipment and build warehouses and yards for some existing local ports such as Hong Chau and Son Tay. To build some new ports such as Thuy Loi (Hung Yen). The capacity of these ports is expected to reach 300,000 tons/year;

Special-purpose ports: Hoang Thach cement, Pha Lai power and Dien Cong ports should be developed according to the sizes of the plants and plannings so as not to cause congestion in channels;

To build Hanoi passenger wharf (Hanoi port cluster and Khuyen Luong port) for attracting riverside passengers and tourists. To relocate Hanoi port cluster and Khuyen Luong port to Phu Dong and Chem, especially container handling equipment, so that containers may be transported by riverways from Hai Phong to Hanoi. Container warehouses and yards must be compatible with ports' cargo Iran spoliation and handling capacity.

d/ Orientations for developing a seaport system for the corridor:

- Hai Phong port cluster: To expand and upgrade Hai Phong port, build inland container wharves and yards; at the same time, to develop multi-modal transportation, mainly by roads and railways. In 2008, to start construction of Lach Huyen deep-water port (including Dinh Vu bridge), with a capacity of 25 million tons/year by 2010 and 40 million tons/year by 2020;

- Cai Lan port has been built into a deep-water commercial port in the north for accommodating ships of up to 50,000 DWT. Cai Lan will be a central port and major gateway of the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh corridor. To accelerate the construction of remaining wharves of Cai Lan port for accommodating ships of 50,000-80,000 DWT and raise the port's capacity to 10 million tons/ year by 2010 and 20 million tons/year by 2020;

- Cam Pha port specialized in coal export will be upgraded and expanded to accommodate ships of 30,000-50,000 DWT and have a capacity of 3 million tons/year by 2010 and 5 million tons/year by 2020. In Cam Pha, by 2010, apart from the coal industry, to develop also metal refining industry. To develop a special-purpose port for the steel mill, which will have a capacity of 4 million tons/year and accommodate ships of 30,000-50,000 DWT by 2010. In the subsequent period, to expand the port according to the mill's capacity;

- Cau Trang coal port will be built in replacement of Hon Gai coal port to prevent environmental pollution in the area. Cau Trang port will be located in the north, 10 km from Bai Chay bay, be able to accommodate ships of 5,000 DWT, and have a capacity of 2 million tons/year by 2010 and 3 million tons/year by 2020;

- Special-purpose B12 petrol and oil port (Quang Ninh) will be relocated to Hon Gac or Hon Ac for accommodating ships of 30,000 DWT, and have a capacity of 3-3.5 million tons/year by 2010 and 7 million tons/year by 2020.

dd/ Airway development orientations:

- To develop Noi Bai international airport into an international-standard passenger and cargo one of regional competitiveness with a customs clearance capacity of 15 million passengers/year. To build a new international terminal, transform the existing international passenger terminal into a local passenger one after the new international passenger terminal is completed. To upgrade and build Cat Bi airport up to international standards;

- To closely coordinate in developing the two countries' flight control systems; to plan flight routes and organize the airspace above the Eat Sea and Tonkin gulf; to settle other issues such as operating flights between Hai Phong and Hainan.

2. To create an environment for promoting trade liberalization and goods circulation facilitation in the economic corridor:

- Trade liberalization: In order to promote trade cooperation in the Nanning-Lana Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh, the two sides will materialize soon the agreement on free trade area regulations in this corridor. To consistently implement the identified objectives of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. The two sides will soon reach agreement on specific policies to encourage trade liberalization within the economic corridor. Initially, to reach agreement on the Free Trade Area Regulation applicable to the Dong Dang-Pingxiang border trade cooperation area, then expand the application of the Free Trade Area Regulation to the whole economic corridor;

- To raise customs clearance capacity: The two sides will consider customs clearance improvement and facilitation in all pairs of border gates in the economic corridor;

- To apply the "single-check" customs clearance mode: The two sides will apply on a pilot basis the "single-check" customs clearance mode at Huu Nghi-Huu Nghi Quan border gate. It is an important measure to promote the facilitation of transnational transportation under economic cooperation mechanisms for actively promoting cooperation within the economic corridor. The two countries' agencies shall, based on relevant agreements, promote the negotiation process and strive to reach agreement on the contents and forms of cooperation, draw experience and step by step apply the mode at the two countries' main border gates;

- To facilitate immigration for tourists and businesspeople: The two sides should join in formulating a framework action strategy for trade and investment facilitation in the whole economic corridor; to formulate each country's action program for mutual cooperation in different domains to facilitate businesspeople in travel and create a better trade and investment environment between China and Vietnam.

The two sides will step by step promote and facilitate businesspeople and tourists to freely travel with appropriate stay durations to meet business needs;

- To step up cooperation in goods warehousing, circulation and distribution. The two sides will apply practical measures and consider the building of a modem warehouse system for prolonging the goods preservation duration; build a warehouse center in Bac Giang province for ASEAN members' trade and investment facilitation.

3. Solutions for raising investment capital:

To permit the diversification of investment forms; to apply policies to encourage and attract all economic sectors; to raise capital of different sources through appropriate measures for investment in building infrastructure, especially transport systems, trade centers, bonded warehouses, as well as trade-supermarket-marketplace complexes.

The Government will actively mobilize concessional credits and technical assistance from the Chinese Government as well as other governments and international financial institutions. The two sides will make schedules of infrastructure construction in the economic corridor in order to facilitate bilateral economic and trade cooperation. In the course of building the economic corridor's infrastructure, to appeal capable Chinese companies to actively make investment in forms of BOT, BX,...

4. To formulate common mechanisms and
policies for the economic corridor's operation:

The two sides will further enhance cooperation on the basis of current mechanisms and policies. Formatters not yet discussed, the two sides should jointly study and formulate practical and feasible cooperation mechanisms and policies and fully exchange views with each other.

The two governments will create a legal ground through signing agreements on implementation of projects on human-resource training and development cooperation between provinces in the corridor; promulgate mechanisms to encourage universities, colleges and training institutions in these provinces to exchange lecturers and students for raising their professional qualifications.

5. To propagate and disseminate the border law to officials and people in the corridor's provinces bordering on China in order to contribute to maintaining defense, security and social order and safety in border areas.

Article 3.- Coordination in formulating plannings and joint action programs for building the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor

- Cooperation in building the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor must be placed under the direct management of the two governments' Committees for Economic and Trade Cooperation.

- The two sides will set up groups of experts at ministerial and local administration levels to organize cooperation in implementing the planning and mutually agreed issues.

- The two sides will formulate programs of action related to their domains for concerted actions. Provinces in the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong economic corridor will formulate programs on joint action with other localities in building the Nanning-Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor.

Central-level agencies shall regularly pay attention to, and urge and direct, the formulation of joint action programs and submit them to their competent authorities for approval, and set up working groups specialized in transport, hydropower and power grids, trade, tourism, agriculture and processing industry, human resources, as well as social, technological and environmental issues.

1. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in, formulating joint action programs for building the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor, the Vietnam-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee shall organize their implementation.

2. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies shall, within the ambit of their state management functions and tasks, organize the implementation of joint action programs. They may set up teams of experts to conduct project studies on the principle of formulating simple projects first and more difficult ones later for organization of their implementation.

3. People's Committees of the provinces in the Lang Son-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor shall review, adjust and supplement master plans on socio-economic development, land use plannings and construction plannings to suit common orientations for the corridor's development and development cooperation, and formulate programs on joint action with other localities in building the economic corridor.

4. The planning must be implemented on the principle of respecting the two governments' commitments on borders and territories in general and boundary demarcation in particular so as not to affect the state management of borders and territories in general and boundary demarcation in particular.

Article 4.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 5.- Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and the presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities of Lang Son. Cao Bang, BacKan, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh shall implement this Decision.