Over the past 40 years the Red River Delta region in Viet Nam has rapidly transformed from a largely agrarian based economy to a thriving mixed economy made bouyant by tourism, shipping, multiple industries and fishing. At the lynchpoint of the Red River Delta area lies Hai Phong - Quang Ninh; earmarked by the Government of Viet Nam as a national hub for meeting its economic and environmental aspirations, becoming an ASEAN focal point for future sustainable growth as an International Marine Economic Centre.

The overal direction and national support for the development of the Hai Phong - Quang Ninh Marine Economic Center is clearly laid out within the draft Prime Ministerial decision on - The Project on Building and Developing the Hai Phong - Quang Ninh area into a modern marine economic center of international stature, leading in Southeast Asia, a gateway and driving force for the Red River Delta.

Placing an emphasis on sustainable mechansims for acheiving high international competitiveness, this report supports the main strands of this strategy. This done by  setting out considerations and international learning examples; with the underlying aim of accelerating MEC implementation and enhancing international cooperation.