At the event (Source: VNA)

The event attracted representatives from the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, scientists, intellectuals and businesspeople from countries worldwide.

They discussed transportation infrastructure, seaports, customs, logistics and business opportunities along the east-west corridor or the strategic economic service corridor.

The corridor runs from the Lao provinces of Khammouane, Bolikhamsay, Xiangkhouang and Houaphan to the Vietnamese central provinces of Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa, which is also expected to save time for goods transportation.

With advantages in geographical distance, deep-water seaports, and logistics services, the corridor will promote regional connectivity, help Laos and Vietnam bring mineral resources to the sea at the lowest cost, as well as help Laos and the northeast of Thailand import machinery, equipment and chemicals for mineral exploitation.

Nguyen Ngoc My, Vice Chairman of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese (BAOOV), said the corridor now boasts Nghi Son port in Thanh Hoa, Cua Lo port in Nghe An, Son Duong port in Ha Tinh and Hon La port in Quang Binh.

Nguyen Van Nam, Deputy Director of the Nghe An provincial Centre for Investment Promotion, said the locality is seeking high-quality logistics businesses that offer competitive prices, thus meeting investors’ demand in industrial zones.

Chairman of the Ha Tinh provincial Association of Science, Technology and Economy Ngo Duc Huy suggested launching training courses and offering preferential loans to logistics firms, modernising customs system, and ensuring transparency in legal regulations on logistics services.

Proposing a logistics development strategy for the corridor between Laos and seaports in the north central region, Associate Professor Thai Van Vinh from the School of Business, IT and Logistics of the Australia’s RMIT University called for upgrading roads linking seaports and border gates in public-private partnership model, as well as cargo handling equipment in Nghi Son, Cua Lo and Vung Ang seaports, building a railway connecting border gates and seaports, developing a logistics portal based on Internet-of-Things technology, among others.

Concluding the event, head of the BAOOV’s north central chapter Nguyen Cong Chinh pledged to suggest the government offer incentives to the private sector in projects, launch training courses on logistics and supply chain at a regional university and vocational college, establish working groups between north central provinces, and between each Vietnamese and Lao province to reach consensus on logistics ecosystem development strategy for the corridor.

At the event, cooperation agreements between the BAOOV’s north central chapter and business associations of Nghe An and Ha Tinh in Ho Chi Minh City, and a memorandum of understanding on OV’s investment in Gia Lach industrial zone in Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province were signed.

Source: VNA