23/09/2023
Cat Ba Archipelago Promoted To World Natural Heritage
On September 21st afternoon, Mr. Le Tien Chan–Member of the Central Party Committee and secretary of Hai Phong City’s Party Committee–chaired a meeting of the city’s Standing Party Committee to summarize the reports on the results of the submission of the World Natural Heritage nomination for Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba archipelago and exchange opinions on the task of promoting and preserving the value of the heritage.
With UNESCO's recognition, Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago became the first inter-provincial and provincial World Heritage Site in Vietnam, demonstrating Hai Phong's efforts in a journey of more than ten years since the preparation of the nomination dossier. The result was made by closely following and implementing the Prime Minister's direction, the close and effective coordination of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam National Committee for UNESCO, Vietnam's permanent delegation to UNESCO, especially the efforts and determination of the government and people of Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city.
At the meeting, the opinions reached the consensus that the honor came with responsibility. The issue here is heritage management and conservation. The meeting also highlighted the necessity to promote communication about the value of the Heritage, complete management plans, and tourism development plans. Concluding the meeting, the Secretary of Hai Phong City’s Party Committee, Mr. Le Tien Chau, emphasized that this is an opportunity for Hai Phong City to expand its image of the city to domestic and international friends and that the city is not only a city for tourism but also worth investing for a comfortable life.
The Secretary assigned Hai Phong City People's Committee to complete the heritage management plan according to the 1972 World Natural Heritage Convention and closely follow UNESCO's recommendations, which must first address transportation and accommodation services on the island.
The World Natural Heritage expansion of Ha Long Bay to include the Cat Ba archipelago will increase the inherent value of the heritage, demonstrated through the harmony of landscape, geology, geomorphology, ecosystem, and diversity of flora and fauna. The region's outstanding global values are identified as physical and biological formations, geological formations, geography, and habitat for threatened flora and fauna from the points of view of aesthetics, science, and conservation./.