Chairman of Binh Dinh province People’s Committee Vu Hoang Ha (middle, first row) in a talk with Korean investors. Photo Tu Luc

* Reporter: How does the visit bring prospects of the investment cooperation between Korea and Binh Dinh?

* Nguyen Thanh Hai (N.T.H): The visit was a part of the Vietnam’s investment promotion programme held by Ministry of Planning and Investment and Expomal International Company (Malaysia) in Korea in June and it is to be held in India in September with the theme “Vietnam – A rising star for manufacturing base”. In Korea, the programme advertised and called on investors to invest in 14 nationwide industrial and economic zones.

The programme included conferences, direct talks and fact-finding visits. The Binh Dinh delegation led by the Chairman of Binh Dinh province People’s Committee Vu Hoang Ha consisted of leaders of the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone Administration, the management board of industrial zones, the Tourism Department, and the Investment Promotion Center. In the visit to Korea, Chairman Ha delivered speeches to call on the investment cooperation, which was highly appreciated by partners. Many Korean enterprises expressed their concern to Binh Dinh and presented ideas of producing new building materials (by using polyethylene), wooden furniture, and bio-fuel “ethanol” in Binh Dinh.

We sent a message saying that Vietnam in general and Binh Dinh in particular always close the past and look towards the future to cooperate friendly for  the mutual benefit and we hope that more and more Korean investors and visitors will visit Binh Dinh. The provincial People’s Committee has recently granted the investment license to the Binh Dinh Sepplus Company (a wholly-Korean company) with the investment capital of US$1.5 million.

In my opinion, in the coming time there will be more Korea’s projects (mainly in industry) granted the investment licenses to conduct in Binh Dinh.

* Reporter: What impressed you in this visit?

* N.T.H: I was particularly impressed with the way of investment promotion in Korea. Firstly, in the field of planning; for example, the 209 sq.m-Incheon economic zone which has been built since 2003 has had an obvious model with many buildings. Secondly, the success of such big groups as Samsung, LG, Hyundai is often taken as the invitation for investment with an implication that investing in Korea is to have the success like these groups. Thirdly, Korean people are considered as an important human resource to attract investors. This is a special advantage in the competition. There have been many Korean representatives in 35 potential countries and territories. These will contact, invite and support those who want to invest in Korea, and when there are results, the information will be informed to “headquarter” so that they will then instruct investors to invest in Korea.

* Reporter: What did we learn from this visit to do better the investment promotion in Binh Dinh?

* N.T.H: Binh Dinh is inferior to them, so we still have to study more. As for the infrastructure, for example, the investment promotion agencies are poorly furnished nationally and locally. Although our province is still poor, I believe that it’s possible if we have a key investment project.

One more thing is that we need to prepare for the advertisement more professionally by hiring an advertising staff to build ideas for an impressive advertisement. Alongside this, the human resources are not reasonably used, and achievements in the IT have not been fully applied for advertising. If the related authorities are more concerned with the expenditure and the mechanism, we can reap better results.

As for the advertisement, we should only focus on the Binh Dinh’s distinctive features, which are different from those of other provinces. In my opinion, our province has a geographical advantage, that is, the gateway to the sea; moreover, Binh Dinh people are ready to work wholeheartedly in good conditions. This is what an investor needs and the local authorities have to make it possible. On being persuaded by these factors, investors will be introduced to other advantages. On the other hand, the Central has to help Binh Dinh in the aviation so that the investment promotion activities can be conducted more effectively.

* Reporter: Thank you very much!

• Interviewed by Cat Hung
• Translated by Hong Quang