The Thanh Thuy international border gate in Tuyen Quang province.
Tuyên Quang Province needs to focus on investing in border gate infrastructure, developing logistics services, and promoting border trade to turn its potential and advantages into reality. This is one of the key conclusions of General Secretary To Lam during his working visit to the province, serving as a strategic direction for Tuyen Quang to open a new path for border trade in the new development phase.
Tuyen Quang is currently the only province on the northern border that shares a direct border with both Yunnan Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China), with a total border length of over 277 km. The province has one international border gate pair, two bilateral border gate pairs, one auxiliary border gate pair, and numerous border crossings. The Thanh Thuy Border Gate Economic Zone and other border areas are being planned and gradually invested in, built, and upgraded, with special focus on the Thanh Thuy Border Gate Economic Zone.
According to Mr. Loc Kim Lien, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, transport infrastructure connecting to border gates and crossings is being invested in, improved, and upgraded. The Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway (connecting to the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway) is under construction, which will create a quick connection for transport and logistics activities. Export goods are diverse and high-quality, including specialties like Shan Tuyet tea, oranges, and mint honey, along with nearly 500 OCOP products (from 3 to 5 stars), and processed minerals and agricultural and forestry products. Administrative procedures are being streamlined, with the application of information technology in customs, border guards, and international transport licensing. The stable and increasingly substantive and effective friendship with China is a significant opportunity for the province’s border trade development.
In recent years, border trade has shown encouraging progress, overcoming the difficulties and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and the negative impacts of regional and global political and economic situations. The import-export turnover of goods through the province's border gates has grown, both in terms of exports and imports. In 2025, the total import-export turnover is estimated to reach over $500 million, exceeding the set target and contributing to boosting production, consumption of goods, and development of supporting services such as accommodation, food, financial services, insurance, and transport. Infrastructure at border gates, crossings, and transport infrastructure have also received investment and upgrades to meet the needs of import-export activities.
However, despite having great development advantages, the actual border trade activities have not been commensurate with the potential. From 2021 to 2025, the total import-export turnover is estimated to reach just over $1.5 billion, which is much lower than neighboring provinces like Cao Bang and Lao Cai. The Thanh Thuy Border Gate Economic Zone has only attracted 40 commercial service investment projects with a registered capital of over 752 billion VND. Although infrastructure for import-export has been invested in, it still lacks synchronization and is slow to be supplemented or improved. Commercial support infrastructure and services also remain poor.
According to the Management Board of the Border Gate Economic Zone, some key reasons for this situation are that import-export activities are not consistent and mainly take place at the Thanh Thuy - Tianbao International Border Gate. Infrastructure investment heavily relies on state budget resources, and the social mobilization of capital faces many difficulties. Border trade is also frequently affected by changes in border management policies, and the structure of goods is not sustainable, with low value and high dependence on China. The capacity of local businesses is also limited.
Ms. Le Linh Chi, Director of Thai Duong Export-Import Trading Joint Stock Company, shared her concern that the first phase of the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway is still under construction and not yet connected to the border gate. The province also lacks a railway line, so transport infrastructure depends entirely on National Highway 2, which reduces competitiveness and increases costs. Furthermore, some infrastructure in the border gate area is not yet complete. The fees for warehouse infrastructure have not been adjusted in time to increase competitiveness with border gates in neighboring provinces.
Therefore, the number of businesses in the province that maintain import-export activities has dwindled to only 10.
In a meeting with leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade at the end of August 2025, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Hoang Gia Long, affirmed that the potential for Tuyen Quang's border trade development is still very large. In the coming period, the province aims to develop the Thanh Thuy Border Gate Economic Zone into a modern, synchronized center for commerce, services, and logistics for the region, and to gradually form a smart border gate. The province plans to expand and upgrade other border gates and crossings, diversify import-export items, and shift from exporting raw products to processed goods to increase added value and build brand recognition for key agricultural and forestry products.
According to experts from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Tuyen Quang has a strong basis for focusing on breakthrough development in border trade. There are many opportunities to open new and upgrade existing border gates and crossings. There is also the potential to establish new international transport routes, especially the one through “Ha Giang - Meo Vac - Sam Pun Border Gate (Vietnam) - Dianpeng (China) - Funing - Wenshan and vice versa,” which would create an additional trade gateway. The first phase of the Tuyen Quang Expressway will be completed in 2025 and the second phase to Thanh Thuy International Border Gate is underway, which will be a significant competitive advantage for the province in attracting businesses to invest in supporting services with high development potential, such as logistics, insurance, international transport, and financial services linked to border trade and cross-border e-commerce.
Additionally, after the provincial merger, Tuyen Quang's unique agricultural products and goods will be more diverse and have a larger production scale, with the ability to expand exports to China. The industrial sector is also growing and expanding, creating momentum for the development of processed and manufactured products, increasing the supply for export.
Suggesting solutions for Tuyen Quang to develop its border trade and border economy, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said that Tuyen Quang should focus on building a long-term plan for the province’s border trade development. This plan should assess the province’s advantages, development directions, China’s import demands, and a strategy for domestic product consumption. She emphasized focusing on official exports and deep processing to increase the real value of products based on market demand, prioritizing the development of specific areas according to a phased and prioritized roadmap. She also suggested linking trade with tourism, OCOP products, and brand building, and taking advantage of Politburo’s Resolution No. 68 to attract private sector investment for border economy development.
As one of the 17 border communes of the province, Xin Man has a border length of over 16 km with China. On the border of the commune, there is a crossing at Marker 188 and the Xin Man (Vietnam) - Dulong (China) bilateral border gate, which was officially opened in 2018. This has promoted economic and cultural exchange and development for the two localities, creating favorable conditions for cooperation between the two countries in all fields, especially trade and tourism.
Mr. Then Van Tien, Chairman of the Xin Man Commune People's Committee, is hopeful, stating: "Developing border trade and border economy is an inevitable direction for Xin Man commune. We hope that in the coming period, the potential for border economic development of the province will be unlocked, and border trade activities in the commune will become vibrant and be the main driver of local economic development."
In Tuyen Quang's new development phase, with broad potential and the strategic direction of General Secretary To Lam, along with specific development goals and the support of the Government and central ministries, the border economy is expected to achieve a breakthrough in development, truly becoming a driver of the economy and contributing to the province's future growth targets.
Nguyen Thanh Hieu
Vietnamese data source on Tuyenquangonline
