Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City John McAnulty vowed to call for more investment in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre at his working session with local authorities on June 18.

The pledge came after McAnulty said he is impressed by Ben Tre’s business competitiveness, which moved up from 26 th place in 2012 to sixth last year in the national rankings, placing it third among the 13 cities and provinces in the region.

Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Truc Son ascribed the achievement to drastic administrative reform, including one-stop investment licensing and a hotline to the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee for support.

Ben Tre will not rest on its laurels, and is determined to introduce better and transparent policies, making it easier for investors to access the latest information, he said.

The province currently boasts 47 foreign-invested projects, mostly from Asian enterprises.

On the afternoon of the same day, McAnulty attended a ceremony to inaugurate a bridge in Bao Thach commune, Ba Tri district. It was built using 240 million VND (11,400 USD) funded by the Australian Consulate General.-VNA