A corner of Ha Long city (Photo: baoquangninh.com.vn) Quang Ninh (VNA) – The northern province of Quang Ninh continued tobe the most competitive locality in the country as it topped Vietnam’sProvincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) 2018.
According to the PCI 2108 report launched on March 28 by the Vietnam Chamber ofCommerce and Industry (VCCI) and the US Agency for International Development(USAID), Quang Ninh province gained the highest score of 70.36 on a 100-pointscale.
This is the second consecutive year Quang Ninh hasobtained the position. It is followed by the southern province of Dong Thapwith 70.19 points and the Mekong Delta province of Long An with 68.09 points.
Cities and provinces in the top ten competitive localities include Da Nang,Binh Duong, Quang Nam, Vinh Long, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Since2005, VCCI and USAID have cooperated to produce the annual PCI to measureprovincial governance from the perspective of the domestic private sector. ThePCI not only informs investors about decisions regarding the location ofbusiness operations, but also articulates the perceptions of private businessesregarding administrative procedures and the conduct of authorities at alllevels.
The PCI 2018, the 14th iteration of thereport, was based on rigorous surveys of the perceptions of more than 12,000firms operating in Vietnam, including nearly 11,000 private companies, in 63cities and provinces and more than 1,500 foreign-invested enterprises in 20localities.
Speaking at the ceremony, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kristenbrink saidthat the PCI hit its highest level since 2005. The PCI report has beeninfluential in promoting economic reforms and encouraging transparency inbusiness climate while bolstering investment, trade and economic growth.
The USAID will extend the PCI project for additional three years, he said.
According to the PCI survey, 2018 saw more positive improvements in businessenvironment than the previous year, with informal charges reducing, a moreequitable business climate for private firms, and better administrative reform.
Businesses expect that local authorities will work more to increase thetransparency of the business climate, improve human resources training, betterbusiness support services, and facilitate conditions in land, tax and socialinsurance procedures, market management, transport and construction, amongothers, it said.
The enterprises were also upbeat about their business prospects in the comingtime. As many as 49 percent of the private firms and 56 percent of the FDIbusinesses said that they would expand operations in the next two years.
Doing business in Quang Ninh has become easier in recent years, thanks to local authorities’ efforts to simplify administrative procedures.
The northern coastal province has an automatic customs monitoring system and has digitalised many administrative procedures.
It has simplified procedures related to business registration and construction licensing, reducing time and money for enterprises.
These efforts have helped reduce time of customs clearance for imported goods to only 24 hours instead of 39 hours as previously.
Meanwhile, the time for individuals and organisarions to complete procedures to start business is six days, a cut of three quarters of the time compared with regulations in Government Resolution 19. Meanwhile, the time for granting construction permits is no more than 52 days, 68 days less than regulations in Government Resolution 19.
Thanks to the locality’s efforts to cut time spent processing administrative procedures, the locality’s investment environment has improved remarkably.
In 2018, Quang Ninh granted and adjusted investment licences for 50 projects with total registered capital of more than 23.6 trillion VND (over 1 billion USD).
As many as 67.6 trillion VND was poured into the province in the year, including key infrastructure projects such as Ha Long - Hai Phong and Ha Long - Van Don expressways, Van Don International Airport, Hon Gai international port and FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club and luxury Resort, greatly contributing to the province’s development.-VNA
