The Land Featured in the Movie “Walking Under the Brilliant Sky”: What’s It Like in Real Life?

The movie, “Walking Under the Bright Sky,” tells the story of Pu, an ambitious Dao ethnic girl who dreams of attending university in Hanoi and contributing to her village. Despite receiving an acceptance letter, her dreams are shattered due to an arranged marriage with Chai to settle a debt. The film quickly gained popularity among audiences, with high viewership and extensive discussions on social media.

The opening scenes of “Walking Under the Bright Sky” are set against the backdrop of Cao Bang province, showcasing its majestic mountains and terraced rice fields that depict the daily lives of the highland people. In addition to the compelling story, the film also leaves a strong impression of Cao Bang in the hearts of its viewers.

A Land Advantageous for Border Gate Economic Development and Tourism

Cao Bang province holds a strategically important position, serving as the “fence” and “lung” of the nation. It is the western and northern “gateway” of the country, bordering Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, and Lang Son provinces, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China, with a border line of over 300 kilometers.

Located far from major economic centers like Hanoi (approximately 280 kilometers away), Cao Bang’s advantage lies in its access to the Chinese market through border gate economic development and tourism based on its abundant natural resources.

The economic scale of Cao Bang remains small, with a Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of VND 22,747 billion in 2023, 1.23 times higher than in 2019. The GRDP per capita reached VND 41.52 million, almost 1.23 times higher than in 2019.

Blessed with natural beauty and historical sites, Cao Bang is focusing on developing tourism as a key economic sector. Consequently, the province’s economic structure shows a high proportion of services, with a value of VND 12,928 billion in 2023, accounting for 56.83% of the total GRDP. Additionally, the agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector contributed VND 4,824 billion (21.21%), while the industry and construction sector contributed VND 4,133 billion (18.17%) to the GRDP.

However, GRDP growth remains low, with a 2.24% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year, ranking 57th out of 63 provinces and cities. In the first six months of 2024, Cao Bang’s GRDP is estimated to have grown by 4.54%, ranking 54th out of 63 provinces and cities.

The service sector continues to lead the growth, increasing by 6.52%, followed by agriculture, forestry, and fishery (4.03%), while the industry and construction sector declined by 1.56%. Industrial Production Index (IIP) in the province increased by 14.38% compared to the same period last year; total retail sales of goods and service consumption revenue increased by 18.57%; and social investment capital increased by 1.41% over the same period.

Striving for Cao Bang to “At Least Strive to be as Good as Others”

With its majestic natural landscape, a border of over 300 kilometers, and multiple border gates adjacent to China, Cao Bang has focused on planning and investing in infrastructure and socio-economic development in recent years.

On December 28, 2023, the Tra Linh border gate (Vietnam) – Long Bang (China) was upgraded to an international border gate. In 2023, the export turnover through the Tra Linh border gate reached USD 282 million, and from 2021 to 2023, it reached about USD 800 million. With this upgrade, the border gate economy in the province is expected to thrive further.

Currently, Cao Bang is actively implementing the Dong Dang (Lang Son) – Tra Linh (Cao Bang) expressway project to connect the international road transport route from southwestern Chinese provinces through the city of Bach Seac (Guangxi) to the Tra Linh international border gate in Vietnam, linking with ASEAN countries via the Ho Chi Minh road and connecting the Cao Bang – Lang Son – Hanoi – Hai Phong axis.

This Group A project, approved by the Prime Minister in August 2020, is the largest transport infrastructure investment project in Cao Bang. The expressway will be approximately 121 kilometers long, with a total investment of over VND 23,000 billion. The first phase, with a length of 93.35 kilometers and a total investment of over VND 14,300 billion, was inaugurated on January 1, 2024.

The project holds great significance for Cao Bang’s economy and fulfills the long-cherished desire of the province’s ethnic communities. According to the Steering Committee for the Dong Dang (Lang Son) – Tra Linh (Cao Bang) Expressway Project, as of August 15, land clearance on the Cao Bang section has reached 35.36/41.55 km, equivalent to 85%, ensuring construction progress. In Lang Son, land clearance reached 11.95/51.8 km (23%). Regarding capital arrangement and disbursement, only VND 64.3/2,449 billion (2.6%) of the allocated budget for 2024 has been disbursed for the state budget portion.

Painting a Picture of Cao Bang’s Future

According to the Cao Bang Provincial Planning for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the province aims to become a dynamic, green, sustainable, and comprehensively developing economy, striving to be among the middle-income provinces in the Mid-Northern Mountains and Highlands region by 2030.

The province aims to improve infrastructure, especially inter-provincial and intra-provincial transportation links, and gradually establish a logistics and goods transshipment center for Vietnam and China in the region. It also aims to become a cultural and economic hub for exchanges between Vietnam and the western and southwestern provinces of China and ASEAN countries.

In terms of economic indicators, the province targets an average GRDP growth rate of 9.72% per year during the 2021-2030 period. The targeted contribution of the agricultural sector is about 12.5% of GRDP, the industry and construction sector about 21.7%, and the service sector about 63.3% of the provincial economy.

The GRDP per capita target is approximately VND 102 million, calculated at current prices. The province aims to reduce the multidimensional poverty rate by an average of over 4% per year during the 2021-2025 period, maintaining the poverty reduction rate until 2030. On-budget revenue collection is expected to increase by over 12% per year, and total social investment capital during the 2021-2030 period is estimated at VND 160,000 billion. Total import and export turnover through the locality is expected to increase by over 10% per year on average during the period leading up to 2023.

Notably, the province’s transport network development plan includes several highlights. For example, the province plans to have two expressways, seven national highways, 45 provincial roads, and border patrol roads. It also envisions the development of the Cao Bang Airport after 2030, the upgrade of the Bang River from the Tà Lùng border gate area to Cao Bang city to a class-V inland waterway, and the construction of a dry port in Trung Khanh district with a capacity of 50,000 Teu/year.