2:49:40 PM | 22/8/2016
“We see difficulties of enterprises and investors as our own ones and their successes as our own as well,” Mr Tran Van Can, Chairman of Long An Provincial People’s Committee, said in a message for businesses and investors in an interview granted to Vietnam Business Forum Magazine. Hoang Ngoc reports.
Given economic difficulties in recent years, localities across the country have found it hard to achieve economic development and social security norms. How were socio-economic development criteria achieved in Long An province?
Currently, although the economy continues to face numerous difficulties, Long An province still achieved positive results in economic development and investment attraction. Specifically, its GDP growth was maintained at a relatively high level, averaging over 11 per cent a year in the 2011 - 2014 period, GDP per capita was over US$2,000 a year, and total food output reached 2.8 million tonnes a year. Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 reached VND21,800 billion (US$1 billion), up 11.6 per cent from a year ago, driven by 3.2 per cent, 15.4 per cent and 12 per cent in the Region 1, Region 2 and Region 3, respectively. Export revenue topped US$3.7 billion and import turnover valued nearly US$2.95 billion in the year.
These optimistic outcomes were the result of great efforts from the entire political system, the business community and people in the province.
Long An province reportedly has completed social and economic development orientation for the new period to 2020, with a vision to 2030. What are its main contents?
Long An province established the overall socioeconomic development plan for the period to 2020, with a vision to 2030, approved by the Prime Minister of Vietnam. Long An province will strive to become a basically industrialised province by 2020. Its GDP per capita will reach VND80 million (US$3,800) in 2020. The shares of agriculture, industry and services in GDP accounted for 15 per cent, 45 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively. The overall socioeconomic development plan to 2020, with a vision to 2030, divides Long An province into three different areas with specific roles and investment attraction schemes as follows:
Food security, tourism and border economy area: This area will have competitive advantages in agricultural production and tourist attraction. The orientation defines robust development of agriculture, forestry and fishery as priority, and ensures industrial development for agricultural and rural development. This area will develop services and industries in border economic zones and develop ecotourism. Investors can invest in such fields as specialised farming, high-tech agriculture, processing industries, Binh Hiep Border Gate Economic Zone (Moc Hoa) and My Quy Tay Border Gate Economic Zone (Duc Hue). There are also many places of interest like Lang Sen ecological wetland reserve region, Tan Lap floating ecological tourism area, medicinal herb area, and Dong Thap Muoi.
Buffer zone: This area prioritises agricultural development and gives a reasonable land fund for industrial development and ecological urban development. It will mainly conserve and reserve development resources for the province and only be developed in planned places. Specifically, the province will attract investment capital into high-tech agricultural projects, existing industrial zones and riverside ecological urban areas.
Urban and industrial development zone: This area will focus on general industrial and urban development, form urban development corridors with the centre located in Ben Luc - Tan An industrial urban zones in Duc Hoa, Can Giuoc and Can Duoc. This is considered a growth engine for the province in the coming time. It will attract investment capital into infrastructure, industrial zones and urban residential zones. The land fund for industrial development is nearly 15,000 ha by 2020, including 5,000 ha of currently vacant land for new projects. The province will give priority to projects using advanced environment-friendly technologies, using resources, minerals and land efficiently, and having big contributions to the State Budget.
Thus, with the above development orientation, Long An province will have conditions for development in all three sectors: industry, trade - service, and agriculture, while protecting the environment for sustainable development.
Investment attraction plays a particularly important role in helping Long An province achieve the goal of becoming an industrial province. So, what solutions will the province take to increase investment attraction efficiency?
In the coming time, to further reform the investment climate and draw more investment capital for production and business development, Long An province will focus on implementing the following solutions:
Firstly, the province will further speed up public administration reform in which the core task is reforming administrative procedures in land access, housing, residence, business registration and investment registration. The locality will implement solutions to maintain its good provincial competitiveness index or higher if possible in order to create a fair competitive environment and facilitate enterprises from all economic sectors to invest and do business. The province will gradually perfect and optimise the process of receiving and administering non-State funded projects outside industrial zones in Long An province where the Department of Planning and Investment is the lead agency. Specially, Long An has established an administrative centre, expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2016 to provide the most favourable conditions for citizens and enterprises (all administrative procedures will be carried out here).
Secondly, the province will continue to review projects in force, introduce solutions to troubleshoot difficulties and obstacles, accelerate investment progress, particularly in site clearance. Local authorities will regularly meet with businesses to learn about their issues to have better solutions to help them expand production and business operations.
Thirdly, the province will focus investment on completing infrastructure systems, especially transport, power, water and communications systems, to serve industrial development demands and ensure the effective operation of investment projects in the province.
Fourthly, the province will provide and update information and legal documents on mass media (newspaper, internet, etc.) or in person.
Do you have any message to investors and enterprises as the leader of a province?
Long An province is rated to have an attractive investment environment because it is easily accessible from major local markets like Ho Chi Minh City. The province also has dynamic leadership and always leads the Mekong Delta in FDI attraction. It also has an open investment environment and local enterprises always receive timely support when they face difficulty.
With a better infrastructure system, a smooth waterway and ground traffic system, abundant high-quality industrial zones, bountiful human resources and investor-friendly investment services, an enabling investment environment, rapid administrative procedures, a lot of incentives and competitive costs, secure and friendly living environment, Long An province has enough potential, strengths and conditions for investors to carry out successful business. Long An province is committed to creating favourable conditions for investors to explore opportunities and carry out their investment projects in the province in the light of the motto “
We see difficulties of enterprises and investors as our own and their successes as our own as well.”
03/4/2025
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese
