Despite the struggling global economy, the slow recovery in the domestic economy, and the lack of synchronization in local infrastructure damaging investment attraction, with the effort of Tra Vinh EZ Management Board in developing and managing economic zones (EZ) and industrial zones (IZ), investment attraction in the province has made some progress, notably the investment certificates granted for three projects (registered capital of VND 23,145 billion), bringing the total number of IZ and EZ projects to 37, with total registered capital of VND 91,022 billion.
According to the approved plan, Tra Vinh currently has one EZ, Dinh An at 39,020 ha area, and three Izs, Long Duc (100 ha), Cau Quan (120 ha) and Co Chien (200 ha). So far, most of investment in these zones' infrastructure has been relatively complete, creating favourable conditions for investment attraction. Among those, Long Duc IZ has come into operation with a technical infrastructure invested synchronously. In 2014, this IZ renewed investment certificate for a project of foreign investment with total registered capital of US$10 million; adjusted investment certificates for 6 projects to increase amount of capital, land area, and business lines. Accumulation so far shows that Long Duc IZ has a total of 25 projects with total registered capital of VND 2,667.2 billion, with realised capital estimated at over 50 percent.
As for Dinh An EZ, the province is accelerating the planning work and the construction of roads No 1,2,3,4 and 5, non-tariff zone, as well as completing clearance work to invite investors. So far, Dinh An EZ has attracted 12 projects with a total registered capital VND 88,355 billion, of which the project of power centre complex is being sped up, scheduling to put Duyen Hai 01 thermal power plant into operation within 2015, the Tra Vinh Canal project also has been back to construction.
Mr Le Tan Luc, Head of the Tra Vinh EZ Management Board, said that in 2014, even though the number of investment projects had been lower than 2013, the effectiveness of industrial production value, sales, exports and taxes all had increased. However, promotion of investment in IZs and EZs of Tra Vinh province had remained limited, infrastructure had been weak so it had made Tra Vinh unattractive for projects with high added value. Most of the current projects were of medium or small scale and using manual labour. Many projects were behind schedule in implementation, or used land inefficiently, but there hadn’t been any solution.
To solve these outstanding problems, in 2015, the province will focus on introducing and promoting investment environment and opportunities in Tra Vinh; inviting selectively capable investors to make investment under the BOT and PPP forms to implement investment projects in infrastructure construction in IZs and EZs, creating groundwork and strengths to develop support industries in IZs and EZs. We will also improve and open up the investment environment to attract investment, and conduct regular inspections to help timely remove difficulties in order to accelerate project implementation. The province is striving to fill all the remaining investment gaps in Long Duc IZ; launching Co Chien IZ; launching one of the functional areas in Dinh An EZ and start up the wind power project; of which capital from reception on the IZ and EZ is estimated at 50-100 million.
It’s believed that with these efforts, together with the upcoming completion and coming into operation of projects like Duyen Hai power centre, Tra Vinh Canal and Co Chien Bridge, will contribute greatly to the promotion of infrastructure investment in IZs and EZs in Tra Vinh province, as well as helping to create special value, and unlock local economic potentials and advantages for industrialization and modernization.
Minh Kiet
Vietnamese
