Along with partner-targeted investment promotion and attraction, Bac Kan province has also stepped up “localized investment promotion” - an approach under which the province effectively supports ongoing projects in the province to clear restrictions in the business environment. Mr. Tran Cong Hoa, Director of Bac Kan Department of Planning and Investment, grants an exclusive interview to our interview on this issue.
Construction site of Bac Kan city-Ba Be lake route
Could you please tell how Bac Kan province attracted investment in the past time?
Knowing that investment attraction is key to unlocking local strengths and boosting economic development, the province has made an ongoing effort to draw investment capital flows and achieved positive results. In 2022, Bac Kan licensed 11 projects with a combined registered capital of VND1,500 billion. So far, the province has 177 projects with VND18,500 billion (13 projects in Thanh Binh Industrial Park).
To achieve the above results, Bac Kan province focused on directing and completing strategic and long-term development plans such as Bac Kan Master Planning in 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050; Ba Be Lake Conservation and Scenic Value Promotion Planning; and Planning on Preservation and Restoration of Cho Don Wartime Safety Zone Special National Relic. The province accelerated the formulation of general urban planning, local planning, detailed construction planning and others.
The province also focused investment resources on developing connection transport infrastructure such as Bac Kan - Ba Be Road linked to Na Hang district (Tuyen Quang province); Cho Moi - Bac Kan Expressway and a surrounding road around Ba Be Lake. At the same time, it increased investment in industrial zone infrastructure, reviewed and added into the draft Bac Kan Master Planning of the 2021 - 2030 period eight industrial zones with a total area of 4,200 ha and 27 industrial complexes with a total area of 676.4 ha.
In particular, the province attached much importance to speeding up administrative reform, improving the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and actively advancing digital transformation. It continued to strengthen the role and responsibility of departments, branches and local authorities, improve the performance of the Bac Kan Investment Promotion and Business Support Center in investment promotion and support and formation of an enabling investment and business climate. As a result, the province's PCI in 2022 ranked 35th out of 63 provinces and cities, climbing 13 places over 2021. This result marked the constant effort of the entire political system, the business community and people over the years.
Currently, Bac Kan is fostering investment promotion. What fields is the province attracting investment fund for?
Bac Kan is not only potentially rich in mineral resources but also endowed with advantages to develop ecotourism and historical tourism with unique natural and historical values such as Ba Be National Park, Phu Thong - Deo Giang historical relic complex and Cho Don Wartime Safety Zone historical relic site. Among them, Ba Be Lake is one of the 20 largest natural freshwater lakes in the world, the special national relic and the ASEAN Heritage Garden. Bac Kan has potential for forestry development, bolstered by 372,665 ha of forested land, with a forest coverage rate of 73% (highest in the country). This is very favorable for green and sustainable economic development.
Over the past time, the province has adopted many solutions to encourage and attract investors in green, organic and high-tech agriculture. Bac Kan has also prioritized the processing industry, environmentally friendly high-tech technology and renewable energy development. Besides, the province has focused on attracting investment capital for ecotourism, leisure tourism and natural discovery, particularly in Ba Be Lake, Nam Cut Lake, Kim Hy Nature Reserve and Nam Xuan Lac Species and Habitat Conservation Area. Regarding industrial investment, the province has also encouraged investment in areas far from tourism development sites, urban centers, especially industrial zones, to limit impacts on the environment and the ecosystem and ensure local green and sustainable development.
Investment promotion is accelerated with various forms. The province has organized many meetings to seek projects from big investors and corporations such as Muong Thanh Group, Apec Group, Intracom Group, EAN Design Consulting Group Co. Ltd of South Korea. Some Japanese and South Korean investors already signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the province to conduct research and preparation for their investment projects. When the province's plans are approved, new projects are expected to be launched immediately.
To speed up investment promotion and attraction, on January 13, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 57/QD-UBND approving the Bac Kan Provincial Investment Promotion Program in 2023. Accordingly, the province will research and assess potential, markets, trends and investment partners; build images and introduce policy environment and investment opportunities; support, guide and facilitate investment activities; build an investment promotion information system and database; make a list of investment attraction projects; develop publications and documents for investment promotion; train and foster capacity for investment promotion officers.
Accordingly, investment promotion must be consistent with the provincial socioeconomic development planning and sectoral development planning. Selective investment attraction is advocated to target big investors with effective projects to generate beneficial effects on the local investment environment. The province will actively contact partners, investors and companies with strong financial capacity to woo big investment projects. All levels and sectors always actively support enterprises to study, survey and establish investment projects; strengthen dialogue; and promptly remove difficulties and obstacles for investors and enterprises.
What do you think about the improvement of the "Market Entry" Index of the province in recent years? To raise the score and ranking of this index, what solutions has the Department of Planning and Investment recommended and implemented?
The "Market Entry" Index of Bac Kan province has been volatile in recent years. In 2018, it scored 7.00 points, an increase of 0.65 points over 2017. In 2019, it declined to 6.81 points, 0.19 points lower than in 2018. In 2020, it was 8.15 points, 1.19 points higher than in 2019. In 2021, it however sank to 5.15 points before climbing to 6.36 points in 2022, up 1.21 points versus 2021.
Doing an analysis of the "Market Entry" Index, we found that while some indicators are as good as or slightly lower than the national medians (Business registration time) or higher than the average (clear and complete procedure instructions or enthusiastic and friendly attitude and service of officers), some are much worse, largely carrying "conditional licensing” factors (the time to carry out procedures for conditional business license does not last longer than the regulatory provision, the cost of conditional business license does not exceed the regulatory rate). Notably, these indicators are involved with many departments and branches in the province.
After conducting the analysis and review, the Department of Planning and Investment informed relevant bodies to firmly and consistently carry out tasks and solutions to raise the score of component indicators. The department will continue to fully publicize business registration forms; improve service quality, support business registration, and complete procedures for business registration and update within two working days. It will actively publicize administrative procedures in a transparent manner, step up information technology application to online business registration; train and improve professional qualifications and service attitude for officers of the Business Registration Office working at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center.
Thank you very much!
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi