The central city of Da Nang climbed from 12th position in Vietnam’s annual Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) in 2012 to the top of the rankings in 2013, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has reported.

The city also took the lead in the rankings for three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010.

Notably, Ho Chi Minh City jumped three places to make into the top ten, while Hanoi moved up to 33 rd position from 51 in 2012.

The northern province of Quang Ninh has made the top four for the first time with 63.51 points.

Addressing a release ceremony in Hanoi on March 20, which took place within the framework of a PCI project funded by the US Agency for International Development, VCCI President Vu Tien Loc said the PCI mirrors businesses’ assessment of the business environment in localities.

The index also encourages local authorities to promptly untangle knots for businesses and put forth important solutions in a bid to raise localities’ competitiveness, he said.

US Ambassador David Shear said the PCI’s real value lies with its power to drive public-private dialogue to accelerate reform in such areas as business registration and investment licencing in localities.

This is the ninth time the VCCI has announced the index, which covers a range of realms such as personnel training, services in support of businesses, dynamism of local authorities, and cost of land access and market penetration.-VNA