Hai Phong is a coastal city located in the east of the northern coastal area 120 km away from the capital Ha Noi. It has a total natural area of 152,318.49ha (according to statistics of 2001), equal to 0.45% natural area of the whole country. The city is located in a convenient position for transportation to domestic provinces, and international networks via road network, railway, sea routes, inland waterway and air. Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters (Hai Bà Trưng) in the year, 43 A.D. It has existed as a significant port city for at least several centuries, and was one of Vietnam's principal trading centers. When Vietnam was invaded by the French, the city became France's main naval base in Indochina. After World War II, when Vietnam attempted to regain its independence, Hai Phong was the site of the first military action undertaken by the French. While it was claimed that the French heavy cruiser Suffren bombarded the city, only 3 avisos participated in the operation that contributed to the start of the First Indochina War. Later, in the Vietnam War, Hai Phong was subjected to heavy bombing by US Navy and Air Force strike aircraft because it was North Vietnam's only major port. After the war, the city recovered and became a significant industrial center. The city was home to a large Chinese Vietnamese community, the majority of which have been expelled before and during the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. Today, known as a port city, it serves the entire northern region of Vietnam, and has managed to attract large foreign direct investment that fueled economic rates of growth exceeding 12% per annum over the last decade.