Vinh Long pursues sustainable growth

Nguyen Van Quang, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, spoke to VIR’s Huu Phuc about how investment in prioritised segments will be a boost to realise the province’s goals.

What are your expectations for the Vinh Long investment promotion conference, which will be held on March 27?

Titled “Vinh Long – Taking the initiative in promoting co-operation for sustainable development”, the Vinh Long investment promotion conference is the largest event of its kind to be organised in the province. Jointly held by the Vinh Long People’s Committee, ministries, and central agencies, the conference will draw the participation of more than 750 delegates, including some from the government, ministries, central agencies, neighbouring localities, diplomatic missions, and international organisations in Vietnam, as well as a large number of entrepreneurs, investors, and major domestic and foreign corporations. Especially, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will also attend and make a speech at the event.

The conference is aimed to highlight investment opportunities in the province, focusing on the vast potential and incentives it offers, while it looks to gather investors and representatives from international organisations to meet and speak directly with provincial leaders. The event is also meant to provide investors with relevant information and a list of projects in need of investment.

On this occasion, provincial leaders will grant investment decisions and investment registration certificates for investments in some large-scale projects. The conference will witness the signing of memoranda of understanding between stakeholders for large projects which are expected to help foster local socio-economic development.

Notably, the event will also see the signing of a co-operation agreement between four southern provinces – Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Tien Giang – on implementing the eastern coastal sub-regional linkage project. The linkage puts a focus on farm produce consumption, investment promotion, the sharing and management of natural resources, infrastructure development, and human resource development.

The conference is expected to help lure investment to exploit the potential and advantages of the province, thus contributing to boosting local socio-economic development and implementing the objectives defined in the resolution issued by the 10th Congress of the Vinh Long Party Committee for the 2015-2020 period.

Vinh Long aims to do its utmost to create the most favourable conditions for businesses and investors

The leadership of Vinh Long province has a meeting with investors from the Netherlands

Which local advantages could draw investors’ attention?

Located in the heart of the Mekong Delta, Vinh Long stands out from its neighbours in the region with its distinct potential and advantages in terms of geographic location and natural conditions.

Endowed with a relatively temperate climate and fertile soil, Vinh Long has the prerequisites for expanding agricultural production, which focuses on the growing of rice and fruits, as well as aquaculture and livestock farming.

Vinh Long has a total of ​​nearly 60,000 hectares set aside for rice production, which meets the high standards of quality, food safety, and hygiene required for export, domestic consumption, and processing. Also, Vinh Long is the second-largest fruit-growing hub in the Mekong Delta and the fourth-largest in Vietnam with over 54,000ha, including over 7,000ha of pomelo farms in the township of Binh Minh as well as 8,000ha of king orange groves in the districts of Tam Binh, Tra On, and Vung Liem. In addition, Vinh Long is ranked as the country’s largest sweet potato farming area with an annual planting area of ​​10,000-12,000ha.

Vinh Long is home to two industrial parks (IP) covering a combined 386ha. Some 71 per cent of the area is currently rented by enterprises for investment. The province is calling for investment in three other IPs which have been approved by the government, namely the ​​350ha Dong Binh IP in the township of Binh Minh, the ​​200ha An Dinh IP in Mang Thit district, and the ​​400ha Binh Tan IP in Binh Tan district. Additionally, the planning for several local industrial and handicraft clusters has been approved to welcome investors.

Vinh Long is also suited for developing tourism with typical products such as ecotourism and homestay services, spiritual tourism, and tours of historical relics, handicraft villages, and tourist resorts.

In addition, the province also has a population of more than one million people, with over 60 per cent being of working age. Thus, Vinh Long is capable of providing a source of qualified workers for enterprises.

Apart from its strong agricultural sector, Vinh Long also wants to develop tourism, Photo: Le Hoang Vu

What sectors does Vinh Long give priority to in calling for investment?

Vinh Long gives priority to calling for investment in the sectors of high-tech agriculture, preservation, the distribution and processing of farm produce, the construction and maintenance of infrastructure in industrial parks and clusters, culture and tourism, transport infrastructure, resorts, urban infrastructure, housing, and shopping centres.

Vinh Long always supports and stands side by side with businesses and investors at home and abroad.

What support does Vinh Long pledge to provide to investors?

Investors are likely to take advantage of local advantages, support mechanisms, and investment incentives which the province provides to investment projects.

Vinh Long pledges to create a favourable and transparent investment climate aimed toward increasing support for investors. Furthermore, investors are aided in handling legal procedures related to their investment and updated with relevant information on projects in need of investment, as well as relevant data as required, within the extent permitted by law.

Vinh Long aims to maximise its efforts to create the most favourable conditions for businesses and investors to achieve sustainable growth while inclining toward building an encouraging investment environment to lure resources for developing the province into a reliable and attractive destination for enterprises and investors.