Tapping Potential, Sharing Opportunities

With the continuous efforts of the government and people, Hai Duong province has achieved many positive results, especially in economic aspect. Particularly, in the first six months of 2015, the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) was estimated to climb 7.8 percent over the same period of 2014 (the province set GRDP growth of 7.5 percent or higher this year). Specifically, the added value of agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors rose 1.9 percent, the industrial - construction fields expanded 10.7 percent, and the services sector enlarged 7.1 percent. Total tax revenues reached VND4,837.13 billion, fulfilling 62.8 percent of estimated full-year value. Tax collected from foreign-invested companies 32.3 percent and tax revenue paid by private companies leaped 22 percent.

 

The province approved detailed development plans for industrial parks, including 135.96-ha Dai An (adjusted for the second time), 201.23 -ha Cong Hoa, 212.89-ha Lai Vu, 35.15-ha eastern section of Phu Thai Industrial Park, and 149.31-ha Cam Dien - Luong Dien (phase 1). The province gradually transferred the infrastructure project of Cam Dien - Luong Dien Industrial Park to new investors, sped up the infrastructure construction for Lai Vu Industrial Park, built infrastructure for Cam Dien - Luong Dien Industrial Park and eastern section of Phu Thai Industrial Park, and established detailed plan for the 200-ha Gia Loc Industrial Park.

 

Besides, the province carried out Chi Linh Urban Development Programme, adjusted the Hai Duong Construction Materials Development Plan to 2020, with a vision to 2030, and built the unburned construction material development programme in the 2015 - 2020 period, with an eye to 2030. Moreover, the province paid attention to import and export development. Thus, export revenue surged 83.8 percent year on year in the reviewed period.

 

Cultural, social, medical, education and livelihood services for people are assured. The province created 17,233 new jobs, reaching 59.8 percent of the yearly plan, and sent 1,895 workers overseas, for 59.2 percent of the full-year plan. It also appraised 121 lending projects borrowing VND2,569 million from the National Employment Fund. The above figures show the determination of the province in creating a strong overall socioeconomic picture of Hai Duong province.

 

 

Hai Duong started as an agricultural province with budget revenue mainly relying on agricultural products. In recent years, with the support and leadership of the Party and the State, and the effort of the entire people, Hai Duong has gradually developed to a new high. Today, the province is completely different from five or 10 years earlier.

The province now has approximately 300 foreign-invested enterprises and 8,041 domestic projects (about 5,500 enterprises are operating stably). Businesses are importantly paying taxes to the State Budget. While promoting investment attraction, the province always attaches much importance to supporting existing enterprises in the locality because they are making changes to the look of the province.

 

As economic slowdown has affected operations of local enterprises, the province has introduced a number of measures to direct relevant bodies to have means to deal with emerging difficulties and challenges against the business community, especially those relating to tax, customs and banking. The province has made every effort to reform administrative procedures, apply investor-friendly single-window mechanism, streamline and shorten processes to save time and expenses for enterprises. The province directed and coordinated tax, customs, bank and other sectors to support and resolve difficulties for businesses. Annually, the province holds dialogues and meetings with businesses to listen to their thoughts and aspirations, and collect their opinions for shaping an effective investment environment.

 

The province’s PCI has significantly improved in recent years in spite of existing shortcomings. The province frankly looks at its limitations like unsatisfactory administrative reform, troublesome investment procedures, ineffective use of resources, low State management efficiency, poor coordination of State authorities, and slow site clearance.

 

The highest political determination of the Party and people of Hai Duong in economic development is to maintain high economic growth, build a more open business and investment environment, and uplift the PCI. To fulfil these goals, the province has set out some key tasks as follows:

 

- Firstly, addressing existing shortcomings, improving the investment environment and enhancing PCI. Investment attraction is necessary but the province has advocated selecting and prioritising high-tech and environment-friendly projects; grasped investors’ demands to propose to the Prime Minister specific preference mechanisms for investment projects in Hai Duong.

 

- Secondly, transparently publishing all investment administrative procedures and clearing land for investors; effectively carrying out public administration reform, particularly accountability of civil servants and officials in investment, land, construction, export, import, labour and environment procedures so as to eradicate troubles against investors and facilitate investors to carry out projects; perfecting single-window mechanism at provincial and district agencies to simplify administrative procedures.

 

- Thirdly, supporting and facilitating existing businesses to address their difficulties, particularly in accessing bank loans.

 

- Fourthly, strengthening the provincial-level steering committee to supervise, inspect, understand and promptly resolve recommendations and proposals of businesses; strictly punishing organisations and individuals troubling enterprises.