Hanoi (VNA) - The northeastern province of Quang Ninh has put a great deal of effortinto improving its business climate and competitiveness over the last fewyears.
It toppedthe Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) rankings for the third year in a rowin 2019, according to the PCI 2019 report from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerceand Industry (VCCI).
VCCIChairman Vu Tien Loc said the province is home to several models of reform,which helped it rise to the top in investment attraction.
Inaddition to the PCI, Quang Ninh also led the country in the PublicAdministration Reform Index (PAR Index) for three consecutive years, in 2017,2018, and 2019. The province has also been among the best performers in the SatisfactionIndex of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) for many years and rose to thetop in 2019.
It has alsomade great strides forward in improving governance and public administrationcapacity, moving from 62nd place in 2016 to third last year in the VietnamProvincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI).
QuangNinh is looking to secure its leading position in improving the local businessenvironment and PCI sustainability, raising its PCI from 73.4 points in 2019 to75.3 points this year.
It alsoaims to have eight PCI indicators in the top five and the remaining two in thetop 10. Priority will be given to enhancing scores and rankings in three sub-indexes:Entry Costs, Access to Land, and Business Support Services.
Accordingto Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Tran VanHung, to provide effective support for businesses Quang Ninh has fosteredpublic administrative reform and established multiple channels for dialoguebetween local administrations and companies. It has also prioritised allocatingfunding to the development of technical and social infrastructure, Hung said.
QuangNinh has proactively invested in infrastructure development, particularly intransport, according to Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen XuanKy. Total investment under the public-private partnership (PPP) model intransport over the last five years stands at nearly 50 trillion VND, Ky said, withonly about 9 percent sourced from the State.
Theprovince has opened two expressways totalling 100 km in length and built byprivate concerns. One is the 60-km Ha Long - Van Don Highway, costing some 12trillion VND.
It hasalso put into operation Van Don International Airport, Vietnam’s first privateairport, as well as an international passenger terminal in Ha Long city, thefirst in the country exclusively for cruise ships.
Provincialroads leading to border gates or industrial parks and economic zones have been quicklyupgraded to enhance socio-economic links between the province and otherlocalities and regions.
Chairmanof the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thang said the province is pursuingsustainable economic development and green growth while striving to enhanceeconomic effectiveness and competitiveness.
QuangNinh has been developing high-quality industrial parks and economic zones in HaLong city and the districts of Quang Yen, Van Don, Hai Ha, and Mong Cai tobetter serve investors in the processing, manufacturing, and hi-techindustries, he noted.
It hasemerged as an ideal destination for investors seeking to diversify their productionand expand their supply chains outside China.
“Forinvestors operating in Guangdong in China, Quang Ninh is a destination worthconsidering in plans to relocate production to Vietnam,” said Pritesh Samuel,an expert from Dezan Shira & Associates Company.
Accordingto the expert, Quang Ninh is viewed as a strategic destination in northernVietnam and an important link in the northern economic growth triangle of Hanoi- Hai Phong - Quang Ninh.
Theprovince possesses major advantages from Van Don district planning to become amulti-sectoral maritime economic zone and entertainment centre with a casinoand high-end sea-island tourism and services.
It is alsoa gateway for international trade, creating unique, modern, and high-qualityproducts that are internationally competitive./.