The centre of Ha Long city (Photo: baoquangninh.com.vn)
Accordingly, from now until the end of 2019, Hoanh Bo district will be merged into Ha Long city.
Under the plan, the entire 843.54km2 of natural area and a population of 51,003 people of Hoanh Bo district will be merged into Ha Long city. The name of the new administrative unit is Ha Long city with an area of 1,119.36 km2 and a population of 300,267 people. The new Ha Long city will include 33 communes.
The merger of Hoanh Bo district and Ha Long city will be implemented and completed in 2019. After the merger, the new Ha Long city will be the first class urban area under Quang Ninh province. This will be the biggest urban area of the whole country in natural area and number of communes.
The merger is aimed at making the best use of the overall advantage of natural area, abundant natural resources, and facilitating urban planning surrounding Ha Long bay - Cua Luc bay.
It also facilitates unified management of landscape, environment from forests, mountains, rivers, and bays. It also aims to promote the process of taking out from the planning and terminating the operation of electricity, cement and lime plants, causing environmental pollution. It ensures the effective use of the primeval forest fund, mangrove forest, mineral reserves, and advantageous land funds.
The two localities have a special connection in almost all aspects, many similarities, objective links to each other from history, culture, boundaries and socio-economic connection. The differences of the two localities will complement and mutually support each other.
This is the optimal solution to promote the potential and inherent advantages of Hoanh Bo district. This orientation is completely in line with the policy of the Central agency and the urban development, socio-economic development of Quang Ninh province in the current period./.