12th December 2006 is considered as a historic milestone in Binh Dinh Province’s history with an event of inauguration of Quy Nhon - Nhon Hoi Civil Bridge Road. On this occasion, Binh Dinh Newspaper has an interview with Mr. Vu Hoang Ha, member of Vietnamese Communist Party’s Central Committe, Chairman of Binh Dinh Province People's Committee.

The Thi Nai Bridge by night - Photo by Dao Tien Dat

Interviewer: How is the significance of the Thi Nai Bridge inauguration and operation to socio-economic development of Binh Dinh Province?

Quy Nhon - Nhon Hoi Civil Bridge Road Construction Project, including Thi Nai Bridge, plays important role in development of Binh Dinh Province.

12.000-hetare Phuong Mai Peninsula locates in favourable geographical position in the North of Quy Nhon City, having great potentialities for establishment of deepwater seaport, industrial zone, urban and commercial zones, service and tourism centres, etc. However, this peninsula has been sparsely populated; its agricultural land hasn’t been used effectively. Most of local people of the peninsula are still poor.

Phuong Mai Peninsula is separated from Quy Nhon City by vast Thi Nai Lagoon. Distance from the North of the peninsula to Gom market (Phu Cat District) is 20 km. Plan of building a bridge crossing over Thi Nai Lagoon to connect Quy Nhon City and Phuong Mai Peninsula has been made out by many previous generations. The plan aims to create favourable conditions to take advantage of potentialities and develop socio-economic programmes of the region. Meanwhile, it also helps to widen Quy Nhon City. This is really a big challenge because it requires a lot of capital.

The project receives high consent of Binh Dinh Province leaders, local people's wishes, support of the Central Government and other central ministries and departments. So, a feasible solution is found out. At this time, the system of Quy Nhon - Nhon Hoi Civil Bridge Road Construction finishes. Desire of Binh Dinh people to have a new life with less poverty and undevelopment has a new strong motivation.

Firstly, completion of the bridge will help contractors and investors to push up progress rate of infrastructure construction and implementation of licenced projects. Meanwhile, it is also a premise for investment flows into the region in the near future.

Interviewer: What will be next in Nhon Hoi Economic Zone (Nhon Hoi EZ) after the inauguration of Thi Nai Bridge?

Nhon Hoi EZ is synthesis commercial complex. It has non-tariff, export processing and tariff zones for numerous investment fields such as new urban area establishment, industry, commerce, finance, tourism and a deep-water seaport,etc. Up to now, detailed planning of all functional subdivisions basically finishes.

To attract and make good conditions for investors to carry out investment activities in Nhon Hoi EZ, we have to focus on timely infrastructure construction. Some of components of the project such as building of cross-transport system and Nhon Phuoc resettlement zone were put into operation 6 months ago. Recently, some local investors in the country have carried out many projects. Quoc Thang Co., Ltd started project of building a Commercial- Service- Tourism zone (in the North of Thi Nai Bridge); My Tai Co., Ltd implemented project of building Trung Luong Rainbow Resort.

In the inauguration day of Thi Nai Bridge, some other projects will be put under construction. These are the project of building and operating the Nhon Hoi A Industrial Zone Infrastructure, the project of building infrastructure and supplying telecommunications services for Nhon Hoi EZ, the project of building main road system for Nhon Hoi EZ, project of water supply for Nhon Hoi EZ (phase 1) and project of power supply for Nhon Hoi EZ.

All of these projects must be completed at the end of 2007 and early 2008.

Interviewer: Compare with other Economic Zone, investment projects to Nhon Hoi EZ are still on papers …

Decision of setting up Nhon Hoi EZ was signed in June 2005 by Vietnamese Prime Minister. Over the last 17 months, we have organized many investment promotion activities to Nhon Hoi EZ. At present, 46 international and local investors commit to invest into Nhon Hoi EZ with total VND3,4-billion registered capital. However, infrastructure of Nhon Hoi EZ hasn’t been completed yet. Therefore, the investors can’t implement the registered projects. We must concentrate on  pushing up progress rate of infrastructure construction. Binh Dinh Province leaders want to divide the project into small contracts. At the same time, it is neccesary to mobilize many sources of fund and strengthen supervision and direction over the implementation to timely meet the schedule. In addition, we continue maintaining relationship with the international and local investors. On the other hand, Binh Dinh Province keeps on investment promotion activities in countries which have great investment potentibilities. There are going to be two investment promotion trips to Kazashtan and Korea.

We must intently invest more into human resources to satisfy demands not only of Binh Dinh Province and Nhon Hoi EZ (about 85.000 trained employers) but also of other provinces and other EZs as guidance of Politburo of the Party Central Committee.

Administrative reform is also an important issue. Our objective is to build a kind-hearted and skillful administrative staff. State officials and workers in Nhon Hoi EZ must respect interests of investors as their own’s. At central level, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pledged to secure capital and legitimate rights of the investors. In that spirit, Binh Dinh Province must keep order and security, creating transparent investment environment as basis of trust of the investors.

Interviewer: Thank you!

• Interviewed by Cat Hung
• Translated by Hong Ha