Hi-tech park logs onto its future

Nguyen Van Lang, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology and head of Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park Management Board, said that in 2013, the management board and contractors would nail down its infrastructure bidding packages namely building transformer station, electricity transmission system, road  and water treatment factory with total investment capital of 1.005 billion yen ($10 million).

Lang added the official development assistance (ODA)-based infrastructure bidding packages were funded by the Japanese government. Because the credit contract with the Japanese government was signed with the disbursement deadline April 2016, these infrastructure bidding packages would have to be completed by that time.

However, according to Lang, the biggest obstacle is the progress of site clearance. Until now, the park projects just cover 900 hectares out of 1,586ha, but only 500ha is clean land. That can bring effects on the progress of the ODA-based infrastructure bidding packages.

Pham Dai Duong, deputy head of the park’s management board, said to meet the site clearance deadline, the management board was struggling to compensate local residents before the Lunar New Year.

Besides, the manager board drafted special investment incentive policies for developers got thumb up from the prime minister. Accordingly, the lowest land rent here only equal 0.25 per cent in Hanoi. Developers will be enjoyed all incentives as area facing social and economic difficulties or enjoyed low personal income tax.  

However, Vikomed chairman Tran Ngoc Liem said the company had operated for five years in the park, but Vikomed in general and other developers in particular were still facing difficulties.

Liem added that at present, the import duty rate for medical equipment was zero per cent, but import duty rate for components to produce medical equipment was to 10 per cent. Vikomed, hence, had petition to the management three years ago. However, its proposal still got no feedback until now. “The park should have policies more easy going,” said Liem.

In the same opinion, a leader from Viettel said the park’s electricity, transport system had not yet finished badly affected the company’s production.    
 
The park, located in Hanoi’s Thach That district, was founded in 1999 covering 1,600ha.

The park targets promoting the development of information technology, especially software development, bio-technology, mechanical-electronic engineering, micro-electronics, new materials, and environmental friendly technologies.