(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the inauguration of Van Don-Mong Cai expressway last September that “This is the expressway of aspiration and confidence.” Van Don-Mong Cai expressway is the last section of the expressway network linking Hanoi and Northwestern and Northeastern regions.
 Van Don-Mong Cai expressway opens to traffic on September 4, 2022, after 4 years of construction. (Photo: VOV) |
The 176 km section of Van Don-Mong Cai was completed after 4 years of construction. It is connected with the expressway traversing Van Don and Ha Long in Quang Ninh province, Hai Phong city, Hanoi, and Lao Cai province, forming the country’s longest expressway – nearly 600km.
“Quang Ninh has made full use of different resources from the State and enterprises to create a breakthrough in infrastructure development, one of the three development pillars of Vietnam,” said Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, Director of the Institute for Competition and Brand Name Strategy Research.
Van Don-Mong Cai expressway shortens travel time between Hanoi and Mong Cai border gate to only 3 hours. The road linking the largest border gates in the North promotes connections with the region and the world and makes Quang Ninh province a leading destination for investors.
“Van Don- Cai expressway connects the development triangle of Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh,” said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
”It will help Quang Ninh establish itself as a strategic transit point in the East Asia-Southeast Asia and ASEAN-China regions, the “Two Corridors, One Belt” cooperation zone between Vietnam and China, and the expanded Gulf of Tonkin inter-regional cooperation area under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area. This will create a strong impulse for connectivity in the northern key economic region and the Red River Delta of Vietnam.”
2022 marked strong cooperation between Quang Ninh and other localities for economic growth thanks to transportation links. Last July, the provinces of Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, and Hai Phong City signed an agreement to form economic links along the Eastern Expressway Corridor with one end linked to Hanoi and the other to Quang Ninh’s Mong Cai border gate. The corridor connects a number of industrial zones, sea ports, and international airports of Cat Bi, Van Don, Noi Bai.
Last May, construction of Ben Rung bridge linking Hai Phong and Quang Ninh began. In December, Quang Ninh started a project to upgrade provincial road 342 connecting Ha Long City with Lang Son province.
“This road is expected to facilitate trade activities between Lang Son and Quang Ninh. It will also link Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Hanoi, creating a closed route to serve economic and tourism development,” said Tran Van Vuong, Deputy Head of Lang Son province’s Department of Transport.
 A section of National Highway 279 linking Ha Long city, Quang Ninh with Son Dong district, Bac Giang province. (Photo: VOV) |
Nguyen Xuan Ky, Secretary of Quang Ninh province’s Party Committee and Chairman of Quang Ninh province’s People Council, said, “Quang Ninh prioritizes completing strategic transport infrastructure to promote inter-regional links and cooperation. A transport corridor will help create an economic and urban corridor, make full use of natural and human resources to attract investment as well as promote socio-economic development in localities.”
In the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, Quang Ninh plans to expand transport links with 3 expressways connecting Hanoi with cities and provinces in the northern key economic region.