Importance of economic restructuring

Most obviously, industrial zones have played an important role in economic restructuring towards industry, service and agriculture in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. Before the birth of industrial zones, the province’s industrial output (excluding oil and gas) was small, mainly agricultural, seafood, textile and garment, textile and garment, and resource production, reliant on rudimentary technology, labor intensity, and low added value of products.

In the past time, amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Industrial Zones Authority (BIZA) has made efforts to improve the investment environment, strengthen business support and accelerate infrastructure construction to draw more investment projects into industrial zones. Activities of tenants in industrial zones still make important contributions to the province's gross domestic product (GDP). Specifically, BIZA licensed 18 new projects to invest US$167.15 million and lease 30.34 ha of land and allowed 14 existing projects to add VND5,179 billion and US$65.89 million to their investment fund base in the first five months of 2022.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Triet, Director of BIZA, added, being aware of difficulties faced by local enterprises amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the authority introduced many effective and sustainable approaches. Specifically, it actively reduces 25% of time to handle administrative procedures within its jurisdiction and provides public administrative services of Level 3 and Level 4 online. In 2021, the agency raised the level of Level 4 public services to 100% of administrative procedures under its jurisdiction. It urged infrastructure investment progress of industrial zones; maintained and strengthened government-business dialogues; and focused on solving difficulties and obstacles against projects in operation. BIZA hosted online environmental impact assessment (EIA) appraisal meetings to quickly resolve environmental procedures for tenants in industrial parks to launch their projects early.

“We will always side with enterprises to promptly remove their difficulties and obstacles in business; coordinate with them to attract, take care and retain employees to recover and maintain production and growth; work with the health sector to vaccinate all workers in industrial zones,” he said.

Modernized industrial park development

In 2020-2025, Ba Ria Vung Tau province will focus on building a model and smart industrial parks, based on ecological industrial park criteria, and apply information technology to management and administration. The Provincial People's Committee approved the project document “Technical support for construction of smart eco- industrial parks/model industrial parks and information technology application to management and operation of industrial parks in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province”, which is being considered and funded by the Government of Japan. In the future, industrial parks will be upgraded to move closer to international sustainable development goals.

Clearly, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province advocates developing modern and open industrial zones, interconnecting industrial zones, residential areas and urban areas, and especially synchronizing industrial zones and public utilities for local workers and people.