From deserted kiosks
In mid-June, the Tan Thanh border gate area, Hoang Van Thu commune still maintains the familiar pace of a border customs clearance point.
On the specialized route, trucks carrying agricultural products line up to wait for procedures. Inside the market area, many kiosks are open sparingly, some rows of stalls are quieter than in the bustling past.
For many business households in Tan Thanh, the pace of life at the border gate has long depended heavily on the number of goods trucks and passengers.
When customs clearance is smooth, food services, transportation, loading and unloading, and small retail sales have more jobs. Conversely, as long as goods are congested or customers are absent, people's incomes decrease significantly.
Ms. Nguyen Thu Hang - a business household in the Tan Thanh market area - said that her family has been trading here for many years, witnessing many ups and downs of the border gate.
Previously, more customers came to shop, and shops were also bustling. Recently, business has been erratic, and people hope that this area will be invested more methodically to have more services and more jobs," she said.
That expectation was set when the People's Committee of Lang Son province approved the Project to build the Tan Thanh Trade and Tourism Cooperation Zone (Vietnam) - Po Chai (China).
The research area is located in Hoang Van Thu commune, including areas B1, B2 and Tan Thanh pagoda area, with an area of about 70.67 ha.
According to the project, Tan Thanh has the advantage of being directly connected to Po Chai, located in the space of Dong Dang - Lang Son border gate economic zone.
The Tan Thanh - Po Chai specialized freight transport route through landmark 1088/2-1089 has been put into operation, creating favorable conditions for import and export.
The Tan Thanh customs clearance channel in area marker 1090-1091 has also been officially opened, belonging to the Huu Nghi, Vietnam - Huu Nghi Quan, China international border gate pair.
However, the reality in Tan Thanh shows that commercial, service and tourism infrastructure is not commensurate with its potential.
Some markets and business areas built a long time ago have deteriorated, many kiosks are vacant. Tourism activities are mainly border shopping, lacking specialized products. Accommodation, entertainment, tourism information center and public transport services are still limited.
Logistics infrastructure is also a bottleneck. The border gate area still lacks cold storage, dry storage, parking lots and modern management systems to serve preservation, inspection, and customs clearance of fresh agricultural products.
Expecting to elevate Tan Thanh border gate into a commercial and tourism complex
According to the new direction, Tan Thanh will be developed into a multi-functional economic complex, combining import and export, wholesale, logistics, trade promotion, fairs and exhibitions, shopping tourism, accommodation, cuisine and Vietnam - China cultural exchange.
The proposed items include border trade markets, agricultural product trading floors, fair centers, cold storage, dry storage, parking lots, eco-resorts, night streets of commerce - cuisine, border cultural parks and event squares.
The project also considers the model of tax-free or quick tax refund shopping, attracting retail chains, outlet centers and international brands.
Representatives of the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone said that the goal of the project is not only to renovate the border gate space, but also to reorganize trade, logistics and tourism activities in a more modern and synchronous direction.
Tan Thanh needs to shift from a simple goods clearance point to a border trade, service, and tourism space. When infrastructure is better, businesses have conditions to invest, and local people also have more opportunities to participate in new services," said the representative of the Management Board.
According to this person, in the immediate future, functional agencies will review priority project groups, focusing on framework infrastructure, border gate renovation, parking lots, warehouses, commercial - service areas, digital infrastructure and tourism service spaces.
The estimated total cost for some key project groups is about 1,450 billion VND, mobilized from the state budget, socialization, private capital, Vietnam - China business cooperation and public-private partnerships.
For Tan Thanh people, what is expected is not only new projects, but also more stable livelihood opportunities.
