On June 23, 2026, in Hai Phong City, leaders of local departments (Foreign Affairs, Construction, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Industry and Trade), along with representatives from the port and city business associations, held a meeting with a high-level delegation from Dongfang City, Hainan Province, China. The visit marks a significant milestone in friendly cooperation and the search for investment opportunities between two localities that share many geoeconomic similarities.
A Foundation of Strong Friendship
The visit of the Dongfang City delegation took place as relations between Vietnam and China continue to be strengthened and developed comprehensively. Notably, following the state visits of Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to Vietnam in April 2025, and the state visit of Vietnamese General Secretary and President To Lam to China in April 2026, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries has reached many important common understandings.
On this foundation, local-level exchanges have become more substantive. This is the first time leaders from Dongfang City have visited Hai Phong, opening opportunities for both sides to enhance understanding and establish future partnerships.
Similarities Between Two Economic Gateways
The Dongfang City delegation was led by Mr. Li Aihua, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. He was accompanied by Ms. Guo Buqin, Vice Mayor of the City People’s Government, along with leaders from the foreign affairs, agriculture, and transport agencies.
Dongfang is the third-largest coastal city in Hainan Province and is one of two key petrochemical and heavy industrial hubs identified by the State Council of China. Positioned at the center of China-ASEAN regional cooperation, Dongfang possesses a National Grade I seaport (Basuo Port) and is accelerating the construction of an international cargo transit airport.
On the side of Hai Phong, as of July 1, 2025, the city was newly established through a merger with Hai Duong province, becoming the fourth-largest locality in the country by population (4.6 million people) and the third-largest by economic scale. Hai Phong is the only locality in Northern Vietnam that integrates all five modes of transport, featuring the Lach Huyen deep-sea port system, which is among the top 20 largest ports in the world. As of May 2026, China was a major investor in the city with 823 projects and a total registered capital of over 13 billion USD.
Cooperation Focus: Maritime Routes and Logistics
During the working session, both sides focused on exchanging ideas regarding shared strengths such as seaport logistics, the petrochemical industry, investment cooperation in Free Trade Zones, and tourism. A particularly important topic discussed was the potential for cooperation on a Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) shipping route between the port in Hai Phong and Basuo Port (Dongfang).
Opening this transport route would not only boost trade in goods but also shorten transport distances, as the two localities are only about 126 nautical miles apart by sea. Representatives from the Hai Phong Logistics Association and Nam Dinh Vu Port Joint Stock Company held in-depth discussions with the delegation regarding multimodal transport to optimize supply chains between the two economic regions.
Expanding Cultural and Tourism Spaces
In addition to economic matters, cultural and tourism cooperation is a top priority. Hai Phong takes pride in Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago (recognized by UNESCO in 2023) and the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac monument complex (recognized by UNESCO in 2025). Meanwhile, Dongfang is known as the "Hometown of Ancient Wood" and the "Hometown of Longevity," boasting a unique ecological environment.
Both sides expressed confidence that increasing people-to-people exchanges and connecting maritime tourism tours will create a major draw for international tourists. Secretary Li Aihua emphasized that, in the context of building the Hainan Free Trade Port with numerous special incentive policies for trade and investment liberalization, Dongfang City is very keen to welcome capital flows and cooperation from Hai Phong businesses.
Expectations for Substantive Cooperation
The meeting concluded in an open and friendly atmosphere. To realize the discussed contents, the leadership of the Hai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs proposed that both sides continue to maintain the exchange of specific information through online channels and email.
Both sides expect that the visit and working session of the Dongfang Municipal Party Committee Secretary's delegation to Hai Phong will serve as a starting step for specific economic cooperation projects, contributing to the general development of both cities in the coming time.