Vietnam to develop northern economic corridor

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HANOI, July 15 (Xinhua): The Vietnamese government has approved a plan on fostering its economic corridor involving Hanoi capital, Hai Phong city, and Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces by 2020 to mainly boost exports to China, Europe and Southeast Asia, according to local newspaper Pioneer today.

Under the plan, economic growth of the northern economic corridor will be 1.2-1.4 times that of Vietnam, and import-export via the corridor will grow over 20 per cent annually, reaching some 2 billion US dollars in 2010, 4.5-5.0 billion dollars in 2015 and more than 10 billion dollars in 2020.

Vietnam will pour some 1.4 billion dollars into building a six-lane expressway linking Hanoi and Lang Son bordering China. Construction of another six-lane expressway stretching from the capital city to Hai Phong with investment of nearly 1.2 billion dollars is expected to start in 2008 and finish in 2010.