A corner of Thang town, a third-tier urban area in the future. Photo: Anh Tuan.

In the homeland of 18 Confucian doctors, there are a lot of relic sites associated with the revolutionary cause and resistance war for national liberation. Hoang Van commune only has three national-level historical relic sites, including Lac Yen and Van Xuyen communal houses where grand meetings took place, gathering locals for political and armed fighting against hostile forces.

On June 1, 1945, Hoang Van and Van Xuyen militia forces and provincial armed forces gathered at Van Xuyen communal house to carry out an uprising to seize power in Hiep Hoa successfully, making it the first district to be liberated during the August 1945 Revolution in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces. Three wooden houses of Ngo Van Dong (Ly Dong), Ngo Van Thau (Do Ba) and Nguyen Van Que (Huu) were the first revolutionary bases of the Safety Zone II Hiep Hoa.

Returning to Hiep Hoa after five years, impressions on a cultural and heroic land came back, mixed with new feelings about a strongly changing area. Hiep Hoa is located at the western gateway of the province, adjacent to the three major industrial centers of Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh and Hanoi. It is also a gateway for economic and cultural exchanges of Bac Giang with Hanoi and other Red River Delta localities. 

It can be said that “the Creator” has given Hiep Hoa a favorable position to develop. However, I still heaped praise on rapid changes of the district. The district has seven industrial clusters with a total area of over 320ha, two thirds of which are filled. Last year, there were eight newly-registered enterprises with a total capital of nearly 3 trillion VND (132.3 million USD), raising the number of businesses in the district to 385 and generating jobs for thousands of laborers.

At present, the district is striving to become a third-tier urban area as oriented in the Hanoi Capital Region Construction Plan until 2030. It should be added that in recent years, the district has invested greatly in infrastructure system and functional areas to pave the way for Thang town and adjacent areas to be recognized as fourth-tier urban area. 

In 2017, the whole district attracted eight new investors registering a total capital of nearly 3 trillion VND. Photo: Viet Hung.

Under the Hiep Hoa Urban Planning Scheme, the inner areas of Hiep Hoa include Thang town and 12 adjacent communes with a total natural land area of over 12,000 hectares, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the natural area of the district.

While striving to "upgrade" the status, the district is focusing on tapping the potential for goods-based agricultural development, considering it the "identity" of a modern rural area. As a result, despite significant achievements in economic restructuring towards increasing the proportion of industry-construction and gradually reducing the proportion of agriculture-forestry-fishery, Hiep Hoa is a "bright spot" in hi-tech agriculture. 

One of the people with outstanding models in the field is To Hien Thanh, Director of Truong Thanh Livestock Cooperative, who has just been honored as the "Excellent Vietnamese Farmer of 30-Year Renewal".

The district also has 10 agricultural products with protected trademarks and origin tracing stamps.

In addition, the district also has 10 agricultural products with protected trademarks and origin tracing stamps.

While pursuing the goal of “third-tier urban area”, Hiep Hoa still defines agriculture production as an important economic sector. Only 60km from central Hanoi, Hiep Hoa has favorable conditions to develop safe and high-quality agriculture. The district also has potential to combine agriculture with the development of ecotourism services to serve tourists from Hanoi and surrounding areas.

In addition, the district has 687 historical and cultural relics which have been recognized by provincial and central agencies. An intangible cultural heritage system with more than 80 festivals also adds to the locality’s rich and attractive tourism potential.

Mai Nam Thang