The establishment of the Chu Lai development investment fund and the Government approval of an international airport plan are expected to breathe new life into the Chu Lai open economic zone in central Quang Nam province.

The zone, which is envisioned to be an industrial, tourism and finance-banking service centre of Quang Nam, needs at least around 2 trillion VND (111 million USD) each year for socio-economic infrastructural facilities.

In the initial stage, the State has channelled at least 100 billion VND into the Chu Lai investment fund. The fund is authorised to select suitable projects for investment.

According to Deputy Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee Le Phuoc Thanh, since the fund began operational in early this year, it has considered investment in several projects with a total capital of more than 1 trillion VND.

Meanwhile, the Chu Lai international airport is expected to receive 4.1 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo per year by 2015. The scheme will need an investment capital of more than 11.46 trillion VND.

Four more projects with a total capital of more than 52 million USD have received licences to operate in the zone this year. since the start of the year. Chu Lai now has 47 valid projects with a combined registered capital of almost 732 million USD./.