- In recent years, Binh Duong
leadership has been very active in improving the investment climate,
economic development. Could you please share some experiences?
- In fact, we have been
perseveringly pursuing this approach, because to attract investments,
the most important things are the human factor, leadership,
administrative procedures, and personnel implementing administrative
procedures, human resources, which are issues often checked by
investors. When investors come to Binh Duong, we must prove that we are
always by their side, ready to listen, to share information and support
them, in case of arising problems. For example, we assessed the event on
May 13-14, 2014 would affect negatively the investment environment;
hence the province has performed a series of solutions to affirm that
these problems were just temporary. The essential thing is that the
investment environment of Binh Duong is always favorable, provincial
leadership is always by investors’ side, that is sustainable and
lasting. Therefore in 2015, we absorbed nearly $ 3 billion. This is a
huge figure, while the economic condition is in difficulty.
- Sir, in investment attraction,
industrial development, how to prevent investors from taking advantage
of Vietnamese policies and profiteering?
- Binh Duong’s accumulated
experiences show that to prevent investors from profiteering, firstly,
we must have relationships and a lot of information. Binh Duong has
established relationships with eight provinces and cities in the world.
Besides, we should utilize consulates, consuls general, business
associations. When calling for investments, we must pay a lot of
attention, see with our own eyes through our abroad consulates. Large
corporations also know well their subsidiaries, so we have to utilize
many information channels to make evaluations. Basically, Binh Duong has
not encountered investors taking advantage of policies and
profiteering.
- As a locality with rapid
industrialization pace, how could we prevent negative impacts on the
environment and the use of outdated technology?
- In fact, in recent years, Binh
Duong has redirected. From attracting spreading investments, which means
attracting then selecting, Binh Duong has drawn lessons and put forward
specific topics. This was reflected in provincial Party Resolution, and
the drastic implementation of provincial People’s Committee. The
province has facilitated industrial, urbanization development, while not
attracting businesses may affect negatively the environment, backward
technology. Binh Duong set up specific criteria, that is attracting
high-tech, less labor-intensive businesses having high levels of
intelligence and high added value in products and low pollution rate. In
addition, the province determines to minimize investments in outside
industrial parks, clusters; stimulate investments in existing industrial
parks, clusters. Some polluting factories in provincial southern areas
are forced to make function, technology conversions or move to northern
areas. Moves with technology conversion and to industrial parks,
clusters are prioritized or else we would bring environmental pollution
from one place to another. Provincial policy also supports factory’s
relocation to northern areas and has got good results.
During the
development process, Binh Duong province has focused on protecting the
environment. Photo: A corner of My Phuoc urban area.
- Many localities run after
industrial development, but sometimes cannot utilize their advantages?
What are Binh Duong's experiences in this field?
- This is about macroeconomic
management. The Government should have an overall planning for
industrial development of the whole country, of each locality, and
determine to complete it. Investment attraction and industrial
development are not easy tasks. Investors should also be carefully
selected. In parallel, investment attraction without our own policies
cannot succeed, especially in ensuring sustainability. In Binh Duong, we
assert, there are no preferential policies that do not conform to the
State’s laws.
- According to you, to generate new momentums for localities, it is imperative to have specific mechanisms?
- Generating momentums for
localities is a positive opinion, but needs strict, obvious, and
transparent mechanisms. Currently, it is impossible that each locality
has its own mechanism. In the short term, it is important to prioritize
some driving localities. As I said, our infrastructure is good now, but
we are not satisfied. Several years later, if this infrastructure were
not appropriate, it must be reinvested. This is not a simple thing,
because it relates to budget, which is not within the competence of
locality. Some representative suggested regional integration for
specialized purposes. This is also a regional integration of
infrastructure, especially from hard to soft linkage in each area. This
is not our own experience but done by many countries in the world.
- This has posted which challenges and advantages, especially the dynamic of each locality, sir?
- In my opinion, firstly, localities
should apply existing regulations, base on actual situation to put
forward appropriate policies complying with current laws. In this
process, proposals, adjustments should be regularly made to ensure the
flexibility and compliance with laws…
- In his speech, Minister of
Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh proposed main factors for the
economic reform. What’s your opinion about these suggestions and are
these applicable to our locality?
- These are very interesting
proposals. There were also many suggestions about this issue before. To
our province, we have carried out some applications. In my opinion, we
should start with practice and then draw experiences. Currently, I think
there are still many issues that need to be clarified, both in terms of
theory. Issues posed by the Minister meant a lot. The rest are that we
draw lessons and give directions. Of course, these involve a range of
issues, including legal system, management, and determination…
- Thank you, sir!
Done by Political reporters, H.H – Translated by Hạo Vi