Red River Delta drives H1 growth, with five localities in top nine

VIETNAM: NEW ERA

Red River Delta drives H1 growth, with five localities in top nine
Beyond fast GRDP growth, many Red River Delta localities were also among the largest contributors to overall national economic expansion during the period.
An aerial view of Kinh Bac ward in Bac Ninh province, which posted a GRDP growth rate of 10.56% in the first half of 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Five out of the nine cities and provinces posting the highest gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rates nationwide are in the Red River Delta, according to the first-half socio-economic report released by the Ministry of Finance.

The group has sustained stable double-digit expansion in recent months, cementing the region’s role as a key economic engine.

The top performers are Ha Tinh at 12.79%, Ninh Binh 11.44%, Hai Phong 11.33%, Quang Ninh 11.11%, Hung Yen 10.72%, Bac Ninh 10.56%, Phu Tho 10.18%, Tay Ninh 10.12%, and Thai Nguyen 10.01%. Among them, Ninh Binh, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, and Bac Ninh are Red River Delta localities.

Riding strong infrastructure advantages, Ninh Binh tightened production links across its industrial parks following an administrative merger, turning industry into the main growth driver. A push into high-tech and higher-value-added output lifted GRDP growth to 11.44% in the first half, second nationally and first among the Red River Delta localities.

Ninh Binh’s industrial production index jumped an estimated 27.26% from a year earlier. Processing and manufacturing remained the pillar, expanding 27.68%. Tourist arrivals hit an estimated 17.6 million, up 23.3% from a year earlier, including 1.8 million foreigners. Tourism revenue topped 17.96 trillion VND (683 million USD), a 21.75% annual rise.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh said Ninh Binh has accelerated administrative reform, especially streamlining investment and business procedures, as a key growth lever. It ranked fourth in the 2025 Public Administration Reform Index (PAR INDEX) nationwide, and its digital transformation performance led all 34 cities and provinces.

As an electronics industry hub for the Red River Delta and Vietnam, Bac Ninh has concentrated on science- and technology-intensive industrial production to fuel socio-economic development, with first-half GRDP growth reaching 10.56%. Its industrial production index increased 19.51% year-on-year, driven chiefly by electronic component manufacturing, which holds a large share of Bac Ninh’s industrial structure and sustained strong momentum.

Mai Son, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the digital economy accounted for 46.3% of Bac Ninh’s GRDP as of June, the highest ratio in the country, underscoring the foundational role of technology and the digital economy in the province’s new growth model.

Bac Ninh now has 2,336 digital technology enterprises, double the national target. Large foreign-invested firms in industrial parks have led the adoption of digital management systems to optimise production, while small and medium-sized enterprises have received broad support in using e-invoices, digital signatures and e-commerce platforms.

Total export – import turnover in the first half reached an estimated 106.4 billion USD, keeping Bac Ninh among the top two localities. Exports hit 52.5 billion USD, up 31.49% year-on-year and ranking first in the country. Imports came to 53.87 billion USD, up 39.83%, ranking second nationwide behind Ho Chi Minh City, statistics show.

Beyond fast GRDP growth, many Red River Delta localities were also among the largest contributors to overall national economic expansion during the period. Hanoi ranked second, contributing 11.71% of total growth, after Ho Chi Minh City, followed by Hai Phong with 7.51% and Bac Ninh 5.32%.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, advised localities to shift decisively from an investment- and resource-driven growth model toward one based on productivity, innovation, and science – technology to sustain double-digit GRDP growth.

Key priorities include accelerating hi-tech industries, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centres, the digital economy, green economy and circular economy, while building industry clusters that can lead value chains. At the same time, localities must improve the business climate, step up administrative reform and public investment disbursement to create spillovers for private investment and quality FDI.

Deepening regional connectivity, completing transport, logistics and digital infrastructure, and building a quality workforce will allow the Red River Delta to maintain double-digit GRDP growth in the new period, he added./.​

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