Making Quang Ngai New Destination of Investors

5:29:24 PM | 6/5/2013

In an effort to attract more foreign investors, Quang Ngai province is always very active in reforming administrative procedures and supporting businesses to deal with difficulties and challenges. Hence, the province has become a top-choice destination of many domestic and international investors. Mr Vo Van Thuong, Secretary of the Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee, said: “Difficulties of investors will be directly resolved by the highest leaders of the province in the quickest manner. We always create the most favourable conditions for investors to do business in the province." My Chau reports.

In 2013 like other localities in the country, Quang Ngai province is implementing the Resolutions of the 11^th National Party Congress and of the 18^th Provincial Party Congress. Could you tell us the major directions of Quang Ngai province this year to bring the Resolutions to life?

The Resolution of the 18^th Provincial Party Congress (2010-2015 term) defines the targets of developing Quang Ngai province into an industrialised province by 2020 and lifting the province to a higher position in the central economic zone. To accomplish its objectives, right after the Party Congress, the Party Committee of Quang Ngai province issued thematic resolutions on industrial development, which define that industries are the key driving forces for the province to become industrialised.

When we draft the resolutions on industrial development, we know that Dung Quat Economic Zone is one of the most effective coastal economic zones in the country. Recently, the Prime Minister approved the expansion of Dung Quat Economic Zone to 45,332 ha from 10,300 ha, thus helping us develop Dung Quat Economic Zone and the provincial industry as a whole. Among coastal economic zones in the country, Dung Quat Economic Zone has ideal deepwater ports for exporting and importing goods, particularly items for heavy industries. The appearance of deepwater seaports and Dung Quat Economic Zone has created a breakthrough force for social and economic development of Quang Ngai province and the central key economic zone.

While tapping local existing strengths, we always try to streamline administrative procedures to make the investment environment more attractive investors, shorten the waiting time for investors to do with administrative procedures, business registration, land access and planning access. The province also makes effort to organise investment promotion activities in combination with investment promotion programmes with other provinces and cities in the country. The province also holds events on investment promotion in many different localities to introduce Quang Ngai to investors and make them understand more about the province.

What are Quang Ngai province’s potentials that Singapore investors are interested in? Could you talk about some typical projects of Quang Ngai - Singapore cooperation?

One of our recently remarkable successes in investment attraction is we reach a consensus and commitment of Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Parks Ltd (VSIP) to invest in an industrial, residential and service complex called (VSIP 5) in Quang Ngai province.

Following the success of VSIP Binh Duong, VSIP Bac Ninh, VSIP Hai Phong, VSIP Quang Ngai is the first industrial zone that VSIP develops in the central region. I think the reason why Becamex decided to locate VSIP 5 in Quang Ngai province partly because Quang Ngai meets rigorous requirements of investors. For example, when we discussed VSIP 5, the time for completing procedures from signing memorandum of understanding to licensing stage was short. This is also an industrial park with the fastest site clearance speed. Within just two months, we handed all 160 ha of land to investors. This site clearance speed is rarely seen in the country. The authorities of Quang Ngai province timely responded to problems arising from the work. This effort enabled the province to achieve the shortest ever duration from the stage of clearing site to the stage of investment licensing.

Another typical Singapore-invested project is a US$2 billion thermal power plant in Dung Quat Economic Zone, invested by Sembcorp Group. As most power projects have much of procedures done under the authority of the Government of Vietnam, we actively work with government agencies to add the thermal power plant in Dung Quat Economic Zone to the Electricity Plan VII and continue to carry out next steps.

Possessing special advantages of seaports, being the gateway to the East Sea, and serving as the transhipment point for all regions in the country, holding abundant industrial development potentials, and having attractive investment attraction policies, what industries will Quang Ngai province focus to attract investment capital for?

With the seaport advantage, Quang Ngai will attract investment capital in support of it. In the coming time, the provincial leaders all desire to make Quang Ngai a new destination of investors. And, with the seaport advantage, we attract investment into related areas such as the deepwater ports, heavy industries, supporting industries, and even labour-intensive industries as the province has an abundant, low-paid, and competitive workforce. Particularly, Quang Ngai workers are highly principled and disciplined - an important character to work for investment projects.

How has Quang Ngai province cared about investment for infrastructure development, especially transportation infrastructure in support of social and economic development?

We attach special importance to infrastructure construction for industrial development. In this regard, the province is in need of active support from the Government of Vietnam.

At present, Quang Ngai has many different trunk roads. The National Road 1A - the Quang Nam and Quang Ngai section - is being enlarged. Another good news is the Transport Minister decided to start construction on Quang Ngai - Danang Highway in 2013 which will reduce travelling time between Danang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces. It will also help reduce traffic flows for National Road 1A and build transportation linkages between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia on the East - West Economic Corridor which ends at Vietnamese seaports in central Vietnam.

In addition, Chu Lai Airport (near Quang Ngai) is being upgraded for Airbus aircraft to land and take off. This is also another plus for the province in attracting investors. The Government of Vietnam also agreed to support Quang Ngai to build essential infrastructure works like Dung Quat - Sa Huynh coastal road, Tinh Phong - Dung Quat road.

Do you have any message to investors in Quang Ngai province?

I would like to send a message to all investors far and wide that the leaders of Quang Ngai province and I always support them to overcome difficulties when they invest in the province. We regard successes or failures of investors as ours. Our commitment is that difficulties of investors will be directly resolved by the highest leaders of the province in the quickest manner.