Can Tho Province with Attractive Advantages for Investors

2:14:44 PM | 2/11/2007

An interview with Mr Nguyen Van Duoc, Director of Can Tho Planning and Investment Department.
 
What are the advantages offered to investors in Can Tho?
Can Tho city is the centre of the Mekong Delta, with abundant natural resources, and infrastructure and services meeting the demand of local and foreign investors.
 
Can Tho has a group of seaports and Tra Noc airport will be upgraded in 2008 to connect with domestic flights and some other countries. As the centre of the region, the city has offices of the central government, institutes, universities, banks and other services for socio-economic development.
 
Industrial production continues rapid growth, with an increasing number of industrial zones (IZ) such as Tra Noc IZ 1 & 2 (300 hectares), Hung Phi IZ 1 & 2 (470 hectares), and That Not industrial and handicraft centre (150 hectares). By 2010, Can Tho will have more IZs on some 2,000-3,000 hectares to receive more local and foreign investment projects.
 
The city is an ideal stopover for local and foreign tourists. The Can Tho Tourism 2008 Festival will attract both tourists and investors. The city is also a centre of training human resources, with a network of universities, colleges and vocational schools supplying a skilled workforce for economic development.
 
There are high economic growth rates in fields such as industry, trade and service, and agriculture, creating an ideal business environment for local and foreign investors. In addition, attractive investment policies and accelerated administrative reform will also help investors implement their projects in the city.
 
Describe investment in the city in recent years?
By mid-2007, Can Tho has 43 FDI projects with registered capital of US$137 million. Though modest in size, the investment capital has boosted the city’s economic growth. Many projects have started operating and increasing industrial value and export turnover of the city. They consume agricultural and fishery products from the region and create more jobs for local people.
 
What are the prospects in the coming years?
2008 will witness several important events in Can Tho: Tra Noc airport will start operating, Quan Chan Bo canal will be dredged to accommodate 10,000-20,000 DWT ships, and HCMC-Can Tho Highway will be built. The city will boost foreign investments. To encourage the new flow of investment, the city has prepared a list of 29 projects calling for investment of some US$570 million in the following areas:
 
In industry: mechanical manufacturing projects such as motorbike parts, farming equipment, diesel motors; electrical and electronic projects producing cable, tools, measuring equipment; projects processing high-quality plastic and fruit juice.
 
In trade-tourism: Mekong Delta Trade Centre, textile and garment factories, hotels, tourist centres (Con Au, Con Phuong, Con CIA KHz, Con Son, Con Tan Loc) and Cai Cui sea port.
 
In culture-social welfare: garbage processing plant, hospitals (ENT, cardiac disease), hospital equipment, opera house, conference centre, office and apartment buildings in Tay Do cultural centre of 170 hectares, education and housing projects.
 
Besides, the city is considering preferential treatment and one-stop policies to save time for investors, training workers and advertising for investors.