Enhancing the effective use of each locality’s advantages along the economic corridor

The conference was hosted by Lao Cai Province under the theme “Strengthening Connectivity and Promoting the Development of the Kunming–Lao Cai–Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor.”

Nearly two years after the implementation of the Memorandum of the 11th Conference on Cooperation among the Five Provinces and Cities of Vietnam and China, cooperation among localities along the Kunming-Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh Economic Corridor has continued to be maintained and developed in a substantive and effective manner. Significant results in infrastructure connectivity, trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges have contributed to strengthening friendship between localities of the two countries while expanding the region’s economic development space.

The implementation of the Memorandum of the 11th Conference on Cooperation among the Five Provinces and Cities of Vietnam and China has produced positive results, helping consolidate friendship and mutual trust between localities of the two countries and promoting substantive cooperation across various fields.

Economic cooperation has remained a highlight, with trade, investment and logistics maintaining their growth momentum. Several key infrastructure connectivity projects have been accelerated, particularly the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway and projects connecting border gates. Digital transformation, smart border gates and trade facilitation have also received increasing attention, creating new room for the development of the border economy and regional linkages.

These achievements have not only helped improve the effective use of each locality’s advantages along the economic corridor but have also strengthened connectivity between Southwest China and the northern provinces and cities of Vietnam, laying an important foundation for broader cooperation in the coming period.

Addressing the conference, Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee Duong Quoc Huy said the 12th conference was taking place as localities along the corridor were presented with new opportunities, development space and orientations.

Ha Noi has been positioned with a vision for the capital’s development over the next 100 years, continuing to promote its role as a political, knowledge, science and technology, and innovation center. Hai Phong has gained additional development space through special policies and plans to establish a new-generation free trade zone. Quang Ninh is preparing for a transformation into a centrally governed municipality, expanding its maritime, border and international integration-based economic space.

Lao Cai, with its expanded development space, is well positioned to become a growth pole and a hub for trade connectivity, while promoting its role as a gateway and the starting point connecting with Yunnan. Meanwhile, China’s Yunnan Province is accelerating its opening-up toward the south, strengthening links with Southeast Asia and developing cross-border economic cooperation zones.

Secretary Duong Quoc Huy said that, based on issues arising during the cooperation process and the opportunities now emerging, after two decades of formation and development, it was time for the localities to set new requirements for the corridor’s development. This would require agreeing on new approaches and making a strong shift from “having cooperation” to “cooperation that creates value,” generating shared benefits for the entire economic corridor.

At the conference, delegates discussed and agreed that cooperation in the coming period should shift strongly from individual bilateral cooperation to connectivity along the entire corridor, and from exchanges and interactions to substantive cooperation with clear priorities, focus, products and concrete outcomes.

Liu Hongjian, Deputy Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Kunming Municipal Party Committee of China, emphasized that all five provinces and cities are currently at a critical stage of accelerating development.

To further strengthen common understanding and deepen cooperation, the localities should jointly study and continuously improve models of local cooperation suited to the practical conditions of the five provinces and cities, strengthen planning connectivity and accelerate common development.

“I believe that as long as we remain committed to our shared vision and ideals, take into account each other’s interests, and communicate and negotiate in a timely manner, we will certainly be able to work together to address immediate difficulties and join hands to make the path of cooperation increasingly broader,” he said.

Connecting infrastructure, businesses, markets and value chains

According to Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Bui Duy Cuong, in the coming period, localities should closely coordinate with central ministries, agencies and local authorities to accelerate the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong railway project, creating synchronized and modern connectivity along the entire economic corridor.

They should also expand cooperation in attracting investment in eco-industrial parks and high-tech parks, while strengthening cooperation with Yunnan Province and other localities along the economic corridor in science and technology, digital transformation, smart agriculture and cold-chain logistics.

Deputy Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Hung said the breakthrough in the next phase should not simply be about connecting localities on a map, but about connecting infrastructure, businesses, markets and value chains throughout the corridor.

Based on this approach, Hai Phong proposed that the localities shift from trade exchanges to value-chain and investment linkages. Accordingly, the parties should develop a concise common list covering investment projects seeking funding, logistics capacity, key products, market demand and lead businesses, while organizing sector-specific business matchmaking instead of conducting broad-based promotional activities.

Priority should be given to fields in which the parties can complement one another, including agricultural processing, supporting industries, electrical and electronic equipment, green energy, smart logistics, cross-border e-commerce, science and technology, and human resource training.

Emphasizing tourism development as a key area of cooperation under the framework of the 2026-2027 Vietnam-China Year of Tourism Cooperation, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee Le Van Anh proposed that the localities focus on researching tourism products that could be put into operation immediately.

Accordingly, the parties should study and coordinate the development of interconnected routes and tours linking Yunnan-Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh and in the reverse direction, combining road, rail and air transport while diversifying entry and exit arrangements through international border gates and suitable airports.

On this occasion, the localities signed a memorandum of the conference on cooperation for the next period.

Accordingly, in order to continue implementing important common understandings reached by the senior leaders of the two Parties and two States, and to make a positive contribution to building the Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, the parties agreed to actively promote exchanges and visits by delegations at all levels and deepen substantive cooperation in transport connectivity, investment, trade, logistics, tourism, culture, sports, education, healthcare, science and technology, finance and banking, among other fields.

The parties agreed that the 13th Conference on Cooperation among the Five Provinces and Cities of Lao Cai, Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh of Vietnam and Yunnan of China will be held in Hai Phong, Vietnam, in 2028.