To make a breakthrough in administrative reform, improving business environment in 2016-2020, Thanh Hoa province is upgrading its policy and mechanisms to attract investment, and accelerating administrative reform to ensure an accountable and supporting administration so as to improve investment and business environment. On the occasion of Thanh Hoa Investment Promotion Conference 2017, Vietnam Business Forum had an interview with Ms Le Thi Thin, Vice Chairperson of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee.
As Thanh Hoa Investment Promotion Conference 2017 introduces potential and policies on socio-economic development to 2030 and a vision of 2040, what areas and sectors are priorities for the province?
Thanh Hoa occupies an important position in the economic, political and security development strategies of the country and region. With complete network of road, railway, water and air navigation, border gates with Laos and Nghi Son deep water seaport, the province also has mountainous, plain and coastal regions with rich and diversified natural resources, a 58 per cent trained workforce, traditional history and culture, and famous landscapes, which are most favourable for all-sided development.
With the approval of the Prime Minister the province has hired Boston Consulting Group to review and update the overall socio-economic development plan of the province to attract investments. In the next stage, the province will focus on 5 main sectors of socio-economic development, namely: processing and manufacturing industry, agriculture, tourism, health service and urban infrastructure.
Processing and manufacturing industry: focusing on petro-processing and petro-chemistry, plastic processing, knit-wear, garments, footwear, agricultural processing, animal husbandry, wood-based products and furniture, building materials, electronic parts, car accessories, medical equipment, bio-technical and pharmaceutical products.
Agriculture:
+ Planting: Attracting investments in large-scale production, increasing maize acreage for animal feeds, fruit trees and vegetable for home consumption and export.
+ Animal husbandry: Attracting investments in large-scale farms, quality and safety for home consumption and export.
+ Fisheries: Increasing intense cultivation, applying science and technology, developing offshore fishing.
+ Forestry: High priority for development of timber regions, linking material region with wood processing factories for domestic market and export.
Tourism: Attracting investments for five main tourist products:
Sea resort, heritage, commercial service, eco-tourism and spiritual tourism; high priority for high-class service, in 2030 and 2040 focusing on sea-tourism, eco-tourism and cultural-spiritual tourism.
Public health: Attracting investment in non-State hospitals, especially in joint investment or PPP with existing public hospitals to improve service and reduce the present burden; by 2030 attracting investment in medical networks and developing the nucleus of a medical city; by 2040 research and development of hi-tech medical equipment.
Urbanisation and infrastructure: Attracting investments to upgrade networks of roads, seaport, airport, water supply, hydropower, telecommunication networking and supporting business activities.
Priorities for investments: Resolution of Thanh Hoa XVIII Party Congress (2015-2020) decided that Thanh Hoa should attract investment to develop an economic rectangle consisting of Nghi Son economic zone, Thanh Hoa-Sam Son city, Lam Son-Sao Vang industrial zone, and Bim Son-Thach Quang industrial zone, serving as a growth axis for the economy of the province.
Therefore, Thanh Hoa will give high priority to those areas to implement the said Resolution.
Administrative reform and improvement of business environment is one of the four strategic breakthroughs in 2015-2020, what is your plan of action for these areas?
Fully aware of the importance of administrative reform and improvement of business environment in the next stage of the province, the Thanh Hoa Party Resolution has decided “to accelerate administrative reform and improve business environment, creating transparency, attracting local and foreign investors to the province”. It is one of the four breakthroughs in this term of office 2015-2020.
To implement the Resolution, Thanh Hoa has issued several documents, the key ones including:
Conclusion 46-KL/TU of October 20, 2016 of Thanh Hoa Party Committee on continued application Resolution 02-NQ/TU of June 27, 2011 on its leadership in the improvement of business environment to 2020.
Decision 1025/QD-UBND of April 4, 2017 of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee on Plan of Action to accelerate administrative reform and improve business environment to develop businesses and upgrade competitiveness in 2016-2020.
Decision 2073/QD-UBND of June 15, 2016 of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee on plan of action on implementation of Resolution 19-2016/NQ-CP of the Government on main tasks and solutions to improve business environment and national competitiveness in 2016-2017 and vision of 2020.
Decision 607/QD-UBND of February 27, 2017 of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee on plan of action to implement Resolution 19-2017/NQ-CP of the Government on continued application of main measures to improve business environment and national competitiveness in 2017 and vision of 2020.
On that basis, Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has directed local authorities to implement all related tasks and solutions, reviewing all administrative formalities, accelerating the processes under one-stop shop, applying three “Nos”, namely: no harassment, no additional document for inspection and no delay.
So far, the administrative reform in the province has recorded important results, especially on investments in construction with 20 days instead of 35 days; 5 days instead of 15 days foreign investment projects; 3 days instead of 5 days for business registration; 40 days instead of 45 days for planning permits; 15 days instead of 20 days for design verification grade 1; 25 days instead of 30 days for grade 2 and 3 projects, 15 instead of 20 days for remaining projects; 20 instead of 30 days for construction permits; and 12 instead of 20 days for land leasing.
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Thanh Hoa is the first province signing with Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) an agreement on facilitating the business environment. How will you implement it?
Following Government Resolution 35/NQ-CP of May 16, 2016 on supporting business development to 2020, on May 31, 2016, Thanh Hoa People’s Committee and VCCI signed commitment to ensure favourable environment for businesses.
With the same endeavour, Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has applied all necessary measures, as follows:
Chairperson of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee set a time table for meeting with businesses on the 21st day of each month with the participation of VCCI Thanh Hoa and Thanh Hoa Business Association to remove hurdles and facilitate business operation,
Annually, Thanh Hoa People’s Committee in conjunction with VCCI Thanh Hoa and Business Association, sponsor Spring business meeting and Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day.
Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has instructed related authorities to develop IT in administrative reform, reducing formalities with transparency, applying one-stop shop in all 29 offices of the province and 27 district offices.
- Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has integrated online all offices, providing 1,772 online grade 2 services and 39 grade 3 services in the provincial portal for businesses and population.
- It has also prepared for the establishment of public administration centre and pilot projects at cities of Thanh hoa, Sam Son, Bim Son, and districts of Hoang Hoa, Quang Xuong, Dong Son, Tinh Gia for official operation before September 30, 2017. The remaining districts will have administrative centres before December 31, 2017.
- The province has completed the standardisation of administrative formalities as stipulated by Decision 08/QD-TTg of January 6, 2015 of the Prime Minister and made public on Internet and at all offices. The process of administrative formalities has been shortened compared to Resolution 19-2016/NQ-CP of April 28, 2016.
- Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has issued Plan 31/KH-UBND of February 27, 2017 to carry on Conclusion 55-KL/TU of November 29, 2016 of Thanh Hoa Party Commission on developing businesses to 2020, which includes specific tasks to help businesses promote business activities. In 2017-2020, Thanh Hoa will each year allot some VND20 billion for business training and startup. In 2017-2018, VND10 billion will be reserved for startups of young people through Social Policy Bank.
The above tasks have shown the determination of the province to promote the business environment so as to attain business target to 2020 with over 20,000 businesses, an average of 56 businesses per 10,000 people.
On the occasion of Thanh Hoa Investment Promotion Conference 2017, do you have any commitment to the business community?
Thanh Hoa province will go side by side with businesses for our common cause, facilitating businesses and investors in their activities, seeking more opportunities in the province. The province will apply preferencial treatment and assist investors with the highest level on interest and lowest on obligation.
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi