Ninh Binh Welcomes Investors

Over the past years, under the guidance of Ninh Binh People’s Committee, the province has attained remarkable success in investment attraction. The improvement of the investment and business environment has mobilized important resources for the development of industry and tourism, with highly competitive products.

 

The province has maintained high economic growth rates turning a province of agricultural production into a province of developed industry and tourism with appropriate economic structure (industry-construction 49 percent, agriculture-forestry-aquaculture 15 percent and service 36 percent). The total investment capital increased 472 times, with investments by enterprises increased 1,218 times. So far, the province has attracted 451 projects with registered capital of VND14,536 billion from 11 countries and territories in FDI or joint ventures. In fact, all three industrial zones of the province (Gian Khau, Khanh Phu and Tam Diep) have been fully occupied, putting Ninh Binh ahead of other provinces in the Red River Delta.

 

Some projects have started operating and increasing industrial development in the province, such as Tam Diep Rolled Steel Plant, cement plants ofTam Diep, The Vissai, Huong Duyen and Duyen Ha, Thanh Cong Auto Assembly Plant, Andora footwear factory, and a glass factory. As a result, the industrial production value of the province in 2011 increased to nearly VND13,000 billion and export value to US$264 million. The annual supply of diversified industrial products to domestic and foreign markets includes 9 million tonnes of cement, 100,000 tonnes of steel, over 500 million bricks, nearly 3,000 of cars, and over 7 million square metres of glass. In the coming years, the province will increase the list with fertilizer, electricity, milk, beverages, etc. Meanwhile, recreation centres, hotels and restaurants with diversified products will promote tourism in the Trang An mountain cave network, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu ancient royal capital, and Dich Long – Van Long – Kenh Ga.

 

The province has always considered planning as an orientation and strategy for the development. Right after re-establishment, the province set out the master planning of socio-economic development to 2010. It was the first and principal plan of socio-economic development of the province in the new conditions.

 

 By now, the province has 52 plans approved by related authorities, including 7 plans on socio-economic development, 4 on industrial development, 19 on agriculture-forestry-aquaculture, 5 on trade, 2 on tourism, 1 on post and telecommunication, 2 on transportation, 1 on human resources development and 9 on urban development. Meanwhile, the province is preparing to submit to the Prime Minister its master plan for socio-economic development until 2020.

 

Although there are still problems in the planning of Vietnam and the province, the planning in the past years of Ninh Binh served as the foundation forthe all-round development of the province.

 

 What are the comparative advantages of the province in attracting investments ?

 Clearly, Ninh Binh has advantages in geographical location, diversified natural resources and in recent years, an attractive investment environment ranking high on provincial competitiveness indexes (PCI) compared to other Vietnamese provinces. It is a true comparative edge for the province to develop tourism, supporting industries, building materials and agricultural development.

 

 Ninh Binh can serve as the tourist centre for the whole Red River Delta with famous Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Trang An, Hoa Lu ancient capital, Van Long wetlands, Cuc Phuong National Park, Kenh Ga hot spring, Van Trinh mountain cave, and Phat Diem stone cathedral. Tours are organized with four special products: culture-history, scientific research, recreation, and resort-medical treatment. In addition, visits to famous craft villages of the province can be included in the tours. In the meantime, tourism of the province is at a stage of vigorous development with promising potential.

 

 Regarding building materials, the province has good quality and big reserves of limestone, dolomite (2.3 billion tons), clay, coal, etc. The province is developing a large scale building material industry, close to transport networks and key economic regions and combining with the development of supporting industries and services. It will create opportunities for investors in industry, trade and finance.

 

 With advantages in land and climate, Ninh Binh can ensure not only food security, but also supply high yield and high quality agricultural products (production value of VND86 million per hectare) such as rice, cucumber, chilli, gourd, potato, aqua products, livestock, etc. together with modern models of agricultural production. The province will encourage investments in the development of sustainable and high quality products for home consumption and export.

 

 With your advisory role, how do you help the province in administrative reform and improvement of the investment environment?

My department has implemented transparent administrative formalities and promoted “one-stop shop” in granting investment licenses, introducing project locations and dismantling constraints of investors. The processing time for investment licenses is reduced from 8 to 5 days, and bidding process from 20 to 15 days, thus facilitating business activities and opportunities.

 

 Besides, the Department has also helped Ninh Binh People’s Committee to organize annual business meetings to remove constraints and assist businesses in administrative formalities, land use, taxes and consumption markets. It has also participated in investment promotion activities and organized business meetings with big businesses from other provinces.