After the workshop on investment promotion in South Korea, the South Korean enterprises had a working session with Quang Binh authorities to survey and consider investment opportunities for some projects, such as: aquatic products processing, industrial zone, golf court and so on. Although located far from main economic areas of the country, with the preferential policies for investment attraction, Quang Binh organized many delegations to meet and exchange with many corporations and big companies in Ha Noi capital, Ho Chi Minh city and other provinces and cities, such as: the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin), the Vietnam Electricity Corporation (EVN), the Rubber Industry Corporation, the Vietnam Construction Glass and Ceramic Corporation (Viglacera), the Chi Thanh Company and the Mai Linh Corporation and so on. In the past time, the number of projects has been increased remarkably, in which 97 projects have been being carried out with total registered capital of VND 17,362 billion. In 2007, 59 projects registered investment with total capital of over VND8,000 billion, in which 22 projects were issued the investment licences with total registered capital of VND1,600 billion, etc.

The highlight in the list of investment is that there are two cement plants with a capacity of 4 million tonnes a year invested by the Chi Thanh Company (an enterprise from Ho Chi Minh city) and the Truong Thinh Company. At present, the Chi Thanh Company invests in building the plant at the first phase with a capacity of 2 million tonnes a year and total investment of VND3,600 billion in Quang Trach district and is now fulfilling the procedures to quickly kick off the plant in the first quarter of 2008 together with the artificial seaport and the thermo-electric power plant to serve for this cement plant. A joint-venture between the Vinashin, the Vietnam Bank for Investment and Development and the Truong Thinh Company (Quang Binh) invests in building the Hon La Seaport at the second phase with total capital of VND1,000 billion and builds a complex of thermo-electric power plant, Hon La industrial zone and Bang resort area project. The park area and sea urban area of the Dong Duong Company and other projects have been being considered for approval. The Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (Petrovietnam) has recently had a working session with the Quang Binh provincial leaders and signed a memorandum of understanding to invest an industrial complex in Hon La seaport, including: Hon La seaport development project, shipbuilding, building the thermo-electric plant, investment in the plants using materials of glass, kaolin and cement, building a system of warehouses to transport oil and gas and fertilizer for the northern central provinces and its surrounding countries of Laos and Thailand together with many services and trade in the fields of tourism, finance, technique and insurance, etc.

According to Director of the Department of Planning and Investment Le Van Phuc, the Quang Binh’s ability of investment attraction in 2008 and the following years will develop in both width and depth with the higher feasibility. In early 2008, many main projects have carried out investment registration and prepared for the implementation. Quang Binh still affirms that year 2008 is the year to continuously promote the programmes for business and investment environment improvement together with extent its foreign activities, deploy investment promotion activities abroad, pay much attention to its advantageous fields of forestry resources, mineral and eco-tourism. Apart from calling for investment from foreign enterprises after the workshop on investment promotion in South Korea and Japan, the province will continue to extend the investment promotion programme in the Middle East countries, mainly Arab, Cata and some European countries. Simultaneously, the province will lure investment from the corporations and big companies nationwide, in which top priority is given to the development of the fields of industry, tourism, financial services and banking.

In order to achieve that objective, Quang Binh needs to have the solidarity, unity and effort of all levels and branches in the whole province together with the preferential policies and a transparent investment environment; give priority to the sustainable economic development projects.

Source: The People