Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called on Quang Ngai Province to keep up efforts to improve its competitiveness, at an investment promotion conference in the province yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo

Quang Ngai has succeeded in developing economic and industrial zones, and comprehensive policies to attract investment have helped the province become a strong economic hub of Viet Nam's central region, the conference was told.

Quang Ngai People's Committee Chairman Tran Ngoc Cang said the province offers investors minimum land rents, which are equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the land prices in a framework stipulated by the Government.

The province assists investors with 20 per cent of site clearance costs for stimulated projects. It also assists them with 50-90 per cent of infrastructure investments for projects involved in education, healthcare and culture, as well as sport and environment.

It enables investors to deal with administrative procedures following a one-stop shop mechanism, besides giving them support related to trade, promotion and labour training.

The province especially carries out preferential policies and investment incentives to lure investments into the Dung Quat Economic Zone, Viet Nam – Singapore Industrial Park.

It has adjusted a master plan for the development of the Dung Quat Economic Zone until 2025, increasing its area from 10,300 hectare (ha) to around 45,300 ha.

It is accelerating construction of ports and industrial parks in the zone, and urban development in Van Tuong, Doc Soi and Sa Ky districts.

The Dung Quat Oil Refinery, a main force driving local economic growth, will be a premise for development of a national refinery and petrochemistry centre in this area in the future, in accordance with national strategies.

Quang Ngai should now consider enterprises a motive power for development, and build a government that is stimulative, active and incorruptible to businesses. The government at various levels must follow this spirit, Phuc said.

The PM asked local authorities to build a transparent and fair legal framework, hold more dialogues with businesses to help them solve problems, and encourage co-operation between domestic and foreign companies so that their operations benefit the people.

He urged the province to foster investments in tourism and services to enhance local living standards, and pay more attention to nursing local human resources for the cause of socio-economic development.

As any investment is carried out, the environment must be preserved, he said.

Yesterday, provincial authorities reportedly granted investment registration certificates for five projects, including an urban development project of Hoang Thinh Dat JSC and an asphalt production project of South Korea's Pields Engineering.

They also certified a steam facility manufacturing project of GE Viet Nam, a leatherware making project of South Sea Leatherwares Viet Nam, and a fibre and cloth processing project of Freetex Elastic Fabric Factory.

The authorities also approved investments in principle for four projects, including a shipbuilding, logistics and fishery of Company 19-5, and an electric wire production project of Glitter & Cable Company Limited. The other two included a rural housing project of construction firm 108 Truong Thanh, and a waste treatment project of Mien Bac (North) Investment & Development JSC.

These nine projects have a total registered investment capital of more than VND5 trillion (US$222.2 million), according to the Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper.

Quang Ngai is situated in the key central economic region, covering an area of more than 5,000 sq.km with about 1.3 million residents. — VNS