13 special economic zones of Vietnam: Phu Quy, the rear base of Truong Sa

After the administrative unit arrangement in 2025, the whole country will have 13 special economic zones, officially operating from July 1, 2025, including: Co To, Van Don (Quang Ninh); Cat Hai, Bach Long Vi (Hai Phong City); Con Co (Quang Tri); Ly Son (Quang Ngai); Hoang Sa (Da Nang City); Truong Sa (Khanh Hoa); Phu Quy (Lam Dong); Con Dao (Ho Chi Minh City); Phu Quoc, Kien Hai, Tho Chu ( An Giang ).

Phu Quy Special Zone is about 206 nautical miles (383 km) from Truong Sa Island (part of Truong Sa Special Zone), 55 nautical miles (100 km) closer than Cam Ranh base.

Panoramic view of Phu Quy island in Phu Quy special economic zone, viewed from the south

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Special zone of the past, special zone of the present

Phu Quy Special Zone is also known as Khoai Xu Islet, Thu Islet... Before 1945, Phu Quy was Phu Quy commune, Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan province.

In December 1949, the French army landed in Phu Quy, established a "bang ta" management apparatus and began building military facilities, airports, and embankments around the island...

Wind power system on Phu Quy island

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

During the period 1955 - 1957, the Republic of Vietnam government merged 9 villages of Phu Quy into 3 communes (Ngu Phung, Tam Thanh, Long Hai) and established an administrative unit equivalent to the special zone level, called Phu Quy Administrative Department.

In October 1961, the Assistant Minister of Defense of the Republic of Vietnam signed Decree No. 1180-CP/ND abolishing the district-level administrative unit, merging 3 villages (Long Hai, Ngu Phung, Tam Thanh) into Phu Quy commune, Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan. In early February 1966, the Chairman of the Central Administrative Committee of the Republic of Vietnam transferred Phu Quy commune from Tuy Phong district to Ham Thuan district, Binh Thuan province.

Traffic routes surrounding Phu Quy Island

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In mid-1967, the Republic of Vietnam government established an administrative envoy base (equivalent to commune level) on Phu Quy island and began construction and upgrading of warehouses, field airports, seaports, and roads on Phu Quy island.

On April 27, 1975, Phu Quy was liberated.

After April 30, 1975, Phu Quy was a commune-level administrative unit, belonging to Ham Thuan district, Thuan Hai province (merging 3 provinces: Binh Tuy, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan).

Liberate Phu Quy to open the way for the southern islands

On April 19, 1975, Binh Thuan province was liberated. On April 23, 1975, Lieutenant General Le Trong Tan, Deputy Commander of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, assigned the Navy Command to coordinate with Military Region 6 (in May 1976, merged into Military Region 5): "liberate Phu Quy at all costs to pave the way for the islands and archipelagos in the South".

In Phu Quy at this time, in addition to the old regime's administrative apparatus, there were also about 800 new Republic of Vietnam soldiers who had fled to the rear and 2 warships (escort ship HQ-11, patrol ship WPB) of the Republic of Vietnam Navy.

Phu Quy island on a beautiful sunny day

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

At dawn on April 26, 1975, transport ship 643 of the 125th Naval Group (now Brigade 125, Naval Region 2) commanded by Captain Ta Ngoc Thuan and a fishing boat of Nha Trang fishermen transported forces to liberate Phu Quy. The formation included a water commando squad of Battalion 407 (Military Region 5), an infantry company of Regiment 95 (Division 2, Military Region 5) and local troops from Binh Thuan.

At dawn on April 27, 1975, the troops simultaneously attacked and took control of Phu Quy Island by 6:30 a.m. The next day (April 28, 1975), the 482nd Binh Thuan Battalion arrived (due to difficulties in transporting troops) and was assigned to defend and protect the island.

On Hon Bo (in Phu Quy special zone), there is still intact a stele with the place name "Phu Quy, Thuan Hai".

PHOTO: MTH

On December 15, 1977, the Government Council (now the Government) issued Decision No. 329/CP on the establishment of Phu Quy island district under Thuan Hai province, including 10 villages of 3 communes: Long Hai, Tam Thanh and Ngu Phung (with district town).

On December 26, 1991, Thuan Hai province was divided into two provinces, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. Phu Quy island district is under Binh Thuan province.

Phu Quy Sunset

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

On June 16, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed Resolution No. 1671/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units of Lam Dong province in 2025. Accordingly, Binh Thuan and Dak Nong provinces were merged into Lam Dong province and "the entire natural area and population size of Long Hai, Ngu Phung, and Tam Thanh communes (of Phu Quy district, Binh Thuan) became Phu Quy special zone".

Hon Hai Island (Phu Quy special zone) seen from above

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Rear base of Truong Sa

After April 30, 1975, the military force on Phu Quy island included 2 units of the province, the 570th Navy radar company and 12 officers from the military region to strengthen military management.

Naval Radar Station 575

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Realizing the special role of Phu Quy in national defense and security in the East Sea, the Ministry of the Interior (now the Ministry of Public Security) established unit 754 of the People's Armed Police (now the Border Guard) with the core being a number of officers and soldiers working in Hai Phong City, Quang Ninh Province.

On May 4, 1975, the unit marched into Binh Thuan, and on May 11, 1975, it began its mission on the island, and this was the predecessor of the current Phu Quy Special Zone Port Border Guard Station (Lam Dong).

Since late 1979, Phu Quy sea area has had many hot incidents. For example, in early September 1979, the Viet Xo 04 ship running from Saigon port to Hai Phong was robbed by criminals near Phu Quy island, 3 sailors were shot dead and controlled and forced to change direction to another country. Immediately after that, the island troops suppressed and arrested 12 criminals... At this time, Phu Quy island troops also arrested 125 cases of illegal border crossing.

Coast Guard and border guard ships on duty in Phu Quy waters

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In the early 1980s, Chinese ships continuously entered Phu Quy Island to illegally fish, smuggle, and send spies to infiltrate the area near Cam Ranh port.

To protect the sea and important targets, the Central Government directed Binh Thuan province (then Thuan Hai) to organize a conference on coastal protection. After that, ships operating in Phu Quy were organized into naval squadrons, maritime militia squadrons and trained, equipped with weapons, and patrolled to protect sovereignty.

At the end of 1986, Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee (then Thuan Hai) issued Directive No. 91/TV-CT on "Strengthening the strength of Phu Quy district, with its position as a direct logistics area for Truong Sa" and building 7 mobile militia companies (accounting for 9% of the district's population, accounting for 10% of seafarers) to serve the fight for Truong Sa.

In August 1976, the Ministry of National Defense established Group 475 (regiment level) under the Military Command of Thuan Hai province (later Binh Thuan province and now Lam Dong province) specializing in protecting Phu Quy island. This unit consisted of 4 infantry and artillery companies and 3 mixed defense clusters, commanded by Major Nguyen Minh Quyet.

Military helicopters of Helicopter Regiment 917 (Air Division 370, Air Defense - Air Force) landed on Phu Quy Island

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In early 1977, the Ministry of National Defense established Radar Battalion 451 (now a regiment) under Naval Region 4. On December 21, 1977, the Navy transferred Radar Company 570 (Naval Region 3), which had been stationed in Phu Quy since 1976, to Naval Region 4 (later renamed Radar Station 575 under the current Radar Regiment 451), to detect targets in the South Central Coast and Truong Sa waters.

From 1977 to 1987, the Phu Quy island defense force included: Group 475, local military, Navy, Border Guard Station 754, Engineering Regiment 240 (Military Region 5), air defense unit of Air Defense - Air Force...

Fisheries surveillance fleet on duty to protect the sovereignty of Phu Quy special zone

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On September 5, 1995, to strengthen the task of ensuring combat protection of key targets in the South Central Coast and Truong Sa, radar station 55 (Regiment 292, Division 377, Air Defense - Air Force) was established with 35 officers and soldiers, led by Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Quyen as station chief. At noon on September 15, 1995, the station broadcast and deployed to combat at the Tam Thanh battlefield, Phu Quy district.

Since 2000, the standing armed forces (Ministry of Defense, military regions, provinces, districts) stationed on the island account for nearly 1.7% of the population of Phu Quy island district.

Fishermen in Phu Quy special zone exploit seafood at sea, in the distance is a coast guard ship on duty to protect sovereignty.

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Currently, Phu Quy special zone has local military defense units, air defense radar station 55 (Regiment 292, Division 377, Air Defense - Air Force), radar station 575 (Regiment 451, Navy Region 4), Phu Quy port border guard station, units of the 5th Water Commando Brigade (Special Forces Corps), Phu Quy Search and Rescue Station... and some units of the Ministry of National Defense.

Phu Quy Special Zone has an area of 18.02 km2 ^, population of 32,268 people, located about 56 nautical miles (104 km) from Phan Thiet port (Binh Hung ward, Lam Dong province).

With a large fishing ground, Phu Quy people have focused on developing an offshore fishing fleet and effectively promoting the model of fish cage farming, purchasing, processing, and preserving seafood at sea... As of the end of May 2025, Phu Quy's fishing capacity included 1,735 boats/7,540 workers. The special zone also has 72 seafood farming facilities, with an area of 14,484.9 m2 ⁽ 61 cage farming households, 11 dam lakes).

With great potential for tourism development, in recent years, the locality has gradually shifted its structure, making tourism a central industry. The entire special zone currently has 19 hotels/628 beds, 41 motels - villas/479 beds and nearly 100 homestays - inns, over 30 food and beverage service establishments serving tourism. In the first quarter of 2025, Phu Quy welcomed more than 24,000 visitors (1,250 foreign visitors).

However, ensuring fresh water and waste treatment are challenges for the development of Phu Quy special economic zone, due to the increasing number of tourists.

In particular, in the Phu Quy sea area, there are always fleets of Navy Region 4, Coast Guard Region 3, Fisheries Surveillance Squadron 4, Fleet 18 - Border Guard Command, Fleet 2 - Border Guard Command under Lam Dong Provincial Military Command... on duty, chasing away Chinese fishing boats violating sovereignty.

Heliport on Hon Hai Island (Phu Quy special zone)

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Few people know that in Phu Quy special zone, there are currently 2 helicopter airports on Phu Quy island and Hon Hai (where base point A6 is used to calculate the width of Vietnam's territorial waters).

Some pictures of Phu Quy special zone of Lam Dong province

Panoramic view of Phu Quy island from the north

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

National flagpole in Phu Quy special zone

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Fishing boat of Phu Quy fishermen

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

The national flagpole in Phu Quy special zone is a tourist destination.

TRAN DAI TAM

Ghenh Hang in Phu Quy special zone

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Phu Quy Island seen from north to south, in the distance is Hon Tranh

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Seafood caught in Phu Quy waters

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Traditional boat racing festival in Phu Quy special zone

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM

Panoramic view of Hon Hai island in Phu Quy special zone. This is a special rocky island, with point A6 in calculating the width of Vietnam's territorial waters.

PHOTO: TRAN DAI TAM