Quicker Industrial Zone Development to Lure Investment Flows

While facilitating tenants in Thanh Binh Industrial Park to work effectively, Bac Kan province is making much effort to clear "bottlenecks" in policies, mechanisms, administrative procedures, land clearance and other fields to speed up industrial zone development and attract investors, said Mr. Hoang Van Khoi, Deputy Director of the Bac Kan Industrial Zones Authority.

The Bac Kan Industrial Zones Authority will coordinate to attract investors to invest in infrastructure construction in second-phase Thanh Binh Industrial Park

Could you please tell how industrial parks have attracted investment flows and how tenants in industrial parks have performed?

Bac Kan currently has only Thanh Binh Industrial Park, established in 2007, with the first phase of 73.5ha having good infrastructure for investors. The park now has 14 tenants, with 11 in stable operation. In 2021, they made combined revenue of VND1,200 billion, earned an export value of US$33 million, paid VND30 billion to the State Budget and employed 1,200 workers.

Bac Kan has not attracted any new projects since 2022 because industrial land with rental infrastructure has been filled, while building more new industrial zones takes time and resources. Currently, the Bac Kan Industrial Zones Authority is actively working to seek investment for new industrial parks to provide land for new investment projects.

To realize the goal of attracting 20 new investment projects with VND2,150 billion into industrial parks in 2021 - 2025 (as per Decision 2635/QD-UBND, dated December 30, 2021 of the Provincial People's Committee), how will the authority coordinate its tasks and solutions?

The authority will coordinate to attract investors to invest in infrastructure construction in second-phase Thanh Binh Industrial Park. Currently, there are some registered investment projects here. The agency will also speed up the industrial zone infrastructure development plan to 2030, with a vision to 2050. Accordingly, Bac Kan province will plan more new industrial zones: Cho Moi 1 (300 ha, Quang Chu commune), Cho Moi 2 (200 ha, Thanh Thinh commune), Cho Moi 3 (300 ha, Nhu Co commune), Cho Moi 4 (1,000 ha, Thanh Mai and Thanh Van communes), Cho Moi 5 (1,200 ha, Nong Ha and Thanh Mai communes), and Bach Thong (1,000 ha, Quan Ha and Cam Giang communes). In the coming time, the province is seeking funding for approved industrial zone development plans.

In your opinion, how will the Bac Kan Planning in 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Government, unlock potential, advantages and opportunities to woo new investors? To make industrial zones really attractive to investors, what "bottlenecks" should be removed by the province?

The Bac Kan Planning in 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, plays an important role in the province’s spatial development by effectively unlocking potential and advantages and moving towards green and sustainable development to realize the goals of the resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress: By 2030, the province's economy will be moderately developed in the Northern Midlands and Mountains.

Industrial zones integrated into this planning are expected to be a driving force to fulfill industrial development targets in line with the province’s socioeconomic development requirements in the 2021-2025 period, to 2030 and beyond. This is an important step to attract infrastructure investors for industrial parks.

To continue clearing bottlenecks in the investment environment, the province is directing all levels and branches to uphold their role and responsibility in removing difficulties against businesses; and enhance the performance of the Center for Public Administration Service, Investment Promotion and Business Support in order to facilitate implementation of administrative procedures. The province also reviews and simplifies administration procedures, proposes solutions to clear barriers to investment and business due to unreasonable overlapping procedures to reduce time and cost for businesses. Bac Kan also fosters support for ongoing projects, regularly monitors, promptly captures and resolves problems faced by enterprises. In particular, the province is directing land administration management reform and accelerating land registration reform to have a clean land fund to build infrastructure for investors.

Thank you very much!

Ngo Khuyen Ngo Khuyen (Vietnam Business Forum)