Kien Giang province has achieved considerable investment capital in the past years. This success partly comes from the provincial government’s determination and effort to support enterprises and investors and regard their success as the province’s victory. The province endeavors to build a transparent, effective and service-styled administration. Vietnam Business Forum has an interview with Mr. Nguyen Thong Nhat, Director of the Kien Giang Department of Planning and Investment. Duy Anh reports.
Could you please briefly introduce the remarkable investment results of Kien Giang province over the past time?
Kien Giang province paid close attention to carry out effective public administration reform, applied single-window processes to such fields as investment, business, land, construction and environment. Every year, the province focused on removing obstacles to investment projects and building a transparent, effective and service-styled administration. In November 2019, the province established a working group to collect opinions and resolve recommendations for 29 enterprises and hold a business dialogue to receive their recommendations and reports on difficulties and obstacles in business and to improve the investment and business climate. In May 2020, the province hosted a conference to tackle hardships against businesses and investors affected by COVID-19 epidemic, directed concerned departments and agencies, based on their jurisdiction, to promptly settle complaints from enterprises and investors; and report recommendations beyond their jurisdiction to central authorities, the Government and the Prime Minister, and advised the Provincial People’s Committee to submit to proposals to competent authorities for consideration and timely settlement. Business and worker support policies were implemented quickly and timely. In addition, the province supported and facilitated businesses to join domestic and foreign investment promotion events; established relationships with Vietnamese embassies, trade offices and commercial counselors in foreign countries and foreign embassies and consulates in Vietnam, domestic and foreign promotion agencies to introduce local potential and strengths, incentive mechanisms and policies, and issued the list of projects seeking investment capital for socioeconomic development.
In 2019, Kien Giang attracted 37 investment projects which hired 2,813.56 ha of land and registered to invest VND23,295.91 billion. Particularly, Phu Quoc licensed 16 projects with a total registered capital of VND16,392 billion, which registered to hire 450 ha of land. By the end of 2019, the province licensed 796 projects which hired 38,435.5 ha of land and registered to VND540,660.6 billion (US$23.5 billion), including 56 FDI projects with US$2.7 billion which leased 1,621 ha of land. Up to now, 396 projects with a total registered capital of VND23,144.6 billion (US$1 billion) are operational. Phu Quoc had 47 operational projects which rented 1,240 ha of land and invested VND13,584 billion. Many large projects in operation have created added value, shifted the economic structure, created jobs for laborers, and promoted local socioeconomic development.
To enhance the effect of investment attraction, how has the province focused on planning, infrastructure investment and administrative reform?
To enhance the outcome of investment attraction, the province carried out strategic breakthroughs such as human resource development, administrative reform, transport infrastructure construction, and Phu Quoc development. Particular focus is placed on accelerating administrative reform, improving the business investment environment, enhancing national competitiveness, and facilitating businesses and investors to develop production operations and create a driving force for socioeconomic development. At the same time, the province sped up the progress of aligning sector planning into the provincial planning task.
The province mobilized central and local capital resources and other sources to develop synchronous socioeconomic infrastructure, key projects and programs such as hospitals, Duong Dong international passenger port, An Thoi Cargo Port, Dam Bay, Hon Chong Island, Ho Chi Minh Road (Lo Te - Rach Soi section), Cai Lon Riverside Road, Rach Gia - Ha Tien Coastal Road, Rach Gia - Hon Dat Coastal Road, National Highway 61, National Highway 80, Nam Thai Son Road, Provincial Road 961, Thu Hai - Cong Su Road, upgraded Provincial Road 971, and roads on Phu Quoc Island. The province carried out the cooperation project for Ca Mau Peninsula sustainable development to tap local potential and advantages for agricultural production and aquaculture.
Would you be kind enough to describe how Kien Giang province will attract investment capital in 2020 and aim for potential markets?
In 2020, Kien Giang has concentrated on attracting investment into tourism, trade, environment, hi-tech agriculture, agricultural and seafood processing, renewable energy, urban and rural water supply, housing and urban development, ports and wharves and traffic roads, together with urban development. At the same time, the province has invested in infrastructure in industrial zones like Xeo Ro, Thuan Yen, Thanh Loc (second phase), Bac Vinh Hiep - Rach Gia, Binh Son - Hon Dat, Thanh Phu - An Minh, Thanh Hung, and Long Thanh - Giong Rieng. We select capable and experienced domestic investors to carry out projects where the province is calling for investment funds. For overseas markets, we focus on Northern Australia, Usti of the Czech Republic, Cuba, Norway and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Ministry of Transport planned to arrange medium-term (2020-2026) capital for Ha Tien - Rach Gia - Bac Lieu Highway. What are major opportunities for Kien Giang to attract investment?
The Ha Tien - Rach Gia - Bac Lieu Expressway will connect Ha Tien Border Gate with National Highway 1A, Road N1 and projects in the Mekong Delta. This project will bring a lot of opportunities for Kien Giang to attract investment into hi-tech agriculture, agricultural and seafood processing, renewable energy, housing and urban development, and infrastructure in industrial zones. This expressway also opens up opportunities for socioeconomic development cooperation between Kien Giang and other Mekong Delta provinces which will jointly carry out agricultural production, agricultural and seafood processing models and adopt climate-resilient technologies fitting with local characteristics. The province will build regional integrated programs and projects of sustainable agriculture, transport and irrigation to effectively exploit potential, strengths and create attractive opportunities for investment.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
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