More Resolute and Vigorous to Advance Quang Nam Toward Breakthroughs

To boost economic development, attract investment capital in 2024 and the following years, and promptly and effectively carry out the Quang Nam Provincial Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the entire political system of Quang Nam province is taking strong action to achieve all tasks, including administrative reform, business environment improvement and competitiveness. Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, grants an exclusive interview on these issues to reporters.

Could you tell us what tasks and solutions the province is working on to achieve the best goals in 2024?

In 2023, Quang Nam province’s economic growth fell by 8.25%, the steepest decline since its reestablishment. In the first quarter of 2024, its economy also slowly recovered, with the GRDP shrinking 3.1% from a year-ago period, the third lowest growth among 63 provinces and cities. Given complicated developments, it is very hard to revive the economy and achieve all targets, notably the GRDP growth of 7.5 - 8%, in the remaining months of the year. The province is working hard to carry out key breakthrough solutions as follows.

Enforcing the Provincial Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, in conjunction with the resolution of the 22nd Provincial Party Congress; reviewing related plans, promptly submitting amendments and supplements to competent authorities, especially speeding up the appraisal and approval of regional plans, master plans, zoning plans and detailed plans.

Quickly carrying out three strategic breakthrough tasks on building and developing a synchronous and modern infrastructure system; removing difficulties arising from key projects, especially accelerating investment in Vo Chi Cong Road, a road from Vo Chi Cong Road to National Highway 1, National Highway 14E, and bridges over Thu Bon River and Vu Gia River.

Innovating models and improving growth quality; restructuring the economy towards a desired pattern of weighted industry and services where service and tourism are key economic sectors; developing marine economy, seaports and seaport services; calling for socialized investment for development, developing port logistics services and logistics associated with Chu Lai Seaport; reshuffling traditional economic sectors towards a modern, sustainable economy, mainly based on technological innovation and environmental friendliness advantages.

Resolutely and consistently carrying out solutions to boost public investment disbursement, especially projects under three national target programs and projects belonging to the Socioeconomic Development Recovery Program; striving to achieve the highest capital disbursement target in 2024.

Grasping production and business activities; removing specific and practical obstacles; promptly guiding and resolving procedures for investors to implement projects.

Enhancing the effect of budgetary management and operation to achieve and exceed all budgetary revenue and expenditure targets; allocating budget at appropriate rates for ongoing projects; strengthening responsibility in settlement and disbursement of public investment capital; recovering budget advances.

Mr. Le Van Dung, Permanent Deputy Secretary of Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee, and leaders of BIN Corporation conduct an on-site survey of the prospective investment location

Managing and using resources effectively, protecting the environment; strictly handling violations.

Accelerating digital transformation, developing science and technology, startup ecosystem and innovation.

Speeding up administrative procedure reform, promptly removing barriers and difficulties for businesses and people, adopting effective solutions to improve local management and operation indices such as PCI, PAPI and PAR INDEX.

To implement the approved master plan, Quang Nam reportedly must overcome many difficulties and challenges. What do you think about this issue?

Quang Nam province’s key tasks and development breakthroughs include: (1) Completing the infrastructure system, (2) enhancing competitiveness, (3) improving the quality of human resources, (4) and upgrading science and technology capacity. These key tasks have been deployed since the Provincial Party Congress for the 2015 - 2020 term, will continue to be implemented in the 2020 - 2025 term, and will be planned in the Provincial Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, to affirm consistency and continuity in implementation.

 Mr. Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, Secretary of Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee, pays a visit to Number One Factory

With their profound understanding, leaders at all levels have promptly directed drastic implementation by step and category, resolved difficulties and obstacles, especially in projects invested by non-state capital fund, to enable investors to capture opportunities and advantages for development amid difficulties and challenges.

Quang Nam province has adopted the principle of democratic centralism, determined the content of collectively directed work executed by individuals; the content of reported work

To raise the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), the key is still the human factor. What will the province do to rectify the working style and attitude, enhance the responsibility of public employees, especially the role of leaders?

Improving the business environment and sharpening competitiveness is a common trend of the whole country. In the past years, Quang Nam has always paid special attention to improving the PCI Index and working out annual action plans for a better PCI Index. In this process, “human factor” and “implementation of tasks and solutions” are seen as the roots of all reforms and changes. The Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee issued Directive No. 30-CT/TU dated November 17, 2022 on strengthening administrative discipline and order, improving the sense of responsibility and the performance of performing public duties. The Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee also planned to deploy and direct the drastic execution of the Notice of Conclusions of the Central Inspection Committee to rectify discipline and order.

Chu Lai Port 

Accordingly, the province will focus on arranging and perfecting the organizational apparatus; and mobilize, arrange and rearrange employees appropriately. At the same time, the province will have more drastic, practical and detailed solutions to inspect and supervise the execution of public duties by forming public service inspection teams.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee will require heads of Party committees and authorities to take strong action and adopt strong measures to rectify the discipline, order and working attitude of public employees and Party members in order to realize all tasks assigned in 2024. Each public employee must have professional attitude, responsibility and manner in delivering public services and express supportive, attentive, responsive and dedicated attitude to people. The province will resolutely handle violations and delays in settlement of administrative procedures, especially in site clearance, land leasing, investment, construction licensing and environment stages.

How is Quang Nam province building confidence among investors? How will the province strive to create a new investment and business space?

The province has paid special attention and direction to investment promotion. The Provincial People's Committee issued clear, detailed decisions and instructions on investment procedures as well as regulations on investment management to enable investment projects to be executed smoothly and worked by the law to unlock investment resources for development. Administrative reform and investment support have also been fostered in a bid to further improve the investment and business climate. As a result, Quang Nam has 200 valid foreign investment projects with a total investment capital of US$6.2 billion and 1,150 domestic investment projects with nearly VND230 trillion (US$10 billion) of investment capital.

De Vong bridge, Hoi An

The approved provincial planning with the perspective that development is actively creating momentum, strongly changing the mindset and promoting potential advantages sets that target that, by 2030, Quang Nam will become a fairly developed province of the country and an important growth pole of the Central Coast and Central Highlands regions; have a synchronous modern infrastructure network; develop aviation, seaports, logistics services, tourism, automotive engineering, mechanical engineering and electricity at regional level; and form a center of pharmaceutical industry, downstream agricultural processing and silica production at national level.

To retain existing investors for a long time and attract new investors, the province is determined to create a more attractive investment environment as it has made. Investors coming to Quang Nam will be supported from the provincial level to the grassroots level. The province has launched many consistent and timely solutions to clear difficulties for companies and investors, especially in administrative procedures, labor, commodity distribution, funding access and markets. The province is focusing investment resources on developing transport infrastructure, industrial parks and power sources for production to facilitate projects to start effective operation soon.

Thank you so much!

Ngo Khuyen (Vietnam Business Forum)