An Giang (VNA) – Party General Secretary and Secretary of the Central Military Commission To Lam paid a working trip to Tho Chau special zone in the southern province of An Giang on November 19, where he called for its transformation into a green, strong and sustainable maritime special zone.
The special zone, comprising eight islands with a combined land area of 13.98 sq.km, is located about 110km west of Phu Quoc island and roughly 220km from the provincial administrative centre. With its strategically vital location, it serves as a frontline maritime outpost in the nation’s southwestern waters.
Following an administrative restructuring into a two-tier local administration model effective from July 1, the Tho Chau Party Organisation now groups seven grassroots Party cells with 121 members. The poverty rate has fallen to 0.26%, while nearly 97% of households have been awarded “cultural family” status.
At a working session with local officials, General Secretary Lam said that though the special zone is newly established, sparsely populated, and battered by rough seas and difficult inter-island transport, it remains a crucial anchor of peace and security for Vietnam’s southwestern waters and territorial borders. He highlighted its pristine forests, rich biodiversity, abundant fisheries and untouched scenery, stressing that Tho Chau is a sacred marker of national sovereignty and a natural barrier protecting the homeland.
According to the Party chief, its greatest asset is the unity between local authorities and residents. The special zone also benefits from an intact ecosystem with 80–90% forest cover and clean seas; vast, high-yield fishing grounds with stable currents, and distinctive marine-island landscapes ideal for eco-tourism. With seven months of sunshine per year, it also holds potential for renewable energy, while flat terrain offers space for stable residential development.
To ensure sustainable growth and better livelihoods, he directed An Giang province to coordinate with the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security and other agencies to build a comprehensive master plan that integrates national defence and security goals. Priorities include feasibility studies for stable residential housing, upgrades of the island ring road and transport infrastructure, completion of water supply projects, and exploration of power and telecoms solutions, potentially via a subsea cable from Phu Quoc. Population growth, he stressed, is a long-term strategic pillar of sustainable maritime and island development.
He urged the special zone to focus on stabilising its administrative apparatus under the local two-tier administration model, managing fisheries to maintain ecological balance, studying the establishment of large-scale seafood processing and logistics facilities, and preventing any recurrence of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. He also encouraged investment in high-tech marine farming, modern fisheries logistics, and eco-island and spiritual tourism, particularly a memorial site for more than 500 fallen civilians and soldiers.
The Ministry of National Defence was asked to bolster maritime–island defence posture, study the feasibility of building a dual-use airport, explore upgrading two dual-use fishing ports to support fisheries logistics, and develop Tho Chau into a strategic anchor within the southwestern defence system. This includes reinforcing a coordinated defence network across the strategic triangle of Phu Quoc – Hon Khoai – Tho Chu, securing three key strategic zones from coastal to frontline waters. Investing in radar, defence, rescue, and naval logistics systems is also part of the plan, and strictly managing residency and land use to prevent encroachment on defence land that could undermine sustainable development.
Sustainable development, with public welfare at its core, must be the overarching goal and shared responsibility of the local Party committee, authorities and residents, he said, wishing that the entire local Party Organisation, authorities, soldiers, and residents would unite to build an economically robust, ecologically balanced and defence-strong Tho Chau.
On the occasion, the Party chief presented a statue of President Ho Chi Minh to the Tho Chau Party Organisation, authorities, and people, and offered gifts to Regiment 152 and Tho Chau Border Guard Station.
The General Secretary also offered incense and flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh and fallen heroes at Tho Chau Temple./.
