With a vision of building an industrial centre for the Mekong Delta region, the city is not only focusing on removing difficulties facing operating businesses but also proactively preparing the conditions needed to attract new investment capital, laying a foundation for sustainable growth.

Improving the investment environment

In recent years, the investment environment in industrial parks and clusters across Can Tho has been continuously improved. The Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board has coordinated with relevant departments, sectors, and localities to focus on resolving difficulties related to land, construction, the environment, technical infrastructure, and investment procedures. As a result, many projects have had their implementation accelerated, helping strengthen the business community's confidence in the city's investment environment.

Can Tho currently has nine industrial parks in operation, two concentrated industrial clusters, and the Song Hau Industrial Park Operations Centre, all managed by the Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board. This system has attracted 349 investment projects, including 303 domestic projects, 45 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, and one official development assistance (ODA) project. The total registered capital of domestic projects stands at nearly 137.77 trillion VND, while foreign investment capital exceeds 4.65 billion USD.

These results demonstrate Can Tho's growing appeal to investors, while also reflecting improvements in the business environment and the city's efforts to accompany businesses.

Alongside improving the quality of the investment environment, a number of large-scale industrial projects are being urgently implemented. Notably, Sunpro steel smelting and rolling plant, invested in by Sunpro Steel One Member Company Limited, is located in the Phu Huu A Concentrated Industrial Cluster, with total investment capital of more than 87 million USD.

The project comprises a steel smelting plant and a steel rolling plant, each with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year in each phase. According to Tran Dieu, Deputy General Director in charge of production at Sunpro Steel, Phase 1 has now completed about 95% of the construction and equipment installation work. The company is increasing its workforce, extending construction hours, and mobilising additional engineers and technical experts from China to put the plant into operation as planned.

Once completed, the project is expected to increase steel production capacity in the region while contributing to the development of the city's processing and manufacturing industries.

Expanding development space

To create room for long-term development, Can Tho is stepping up investment in new industrial parks. Recently, the city announced and presented decisions approving the investment policies and simultaneously approving investors for two projects, namely Tan Hoa Industrial Park and Dai Ngai Industrial Park.

Tan Hoa Industrial Park covers 204.6 hectares, with total investment capital of nearly 4 trillion VND, while Dai Ngai Industrial Park covers more than 196 hectares, with total investment capital of over 2.92 trillion VND. Once completed, the two projects will significantly expand the city's industrial land supply, meet the needs of large-scale investors, and help complete the industrial ecosystem and enhance the city's competitiveness in attracting processing, manufacturing, and supporting-industry projects.

Not only focusing on projects that have already received investment approval, the city is also proactively preparing for the next stage of development. The Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board is preparing construction plans for Phu My Industrial–Urban–Service Park, Tran De 2 Industrial Park, and the expanded An Nghiep Industrial Park.

Meanwhile, the policy of preparing plans for Dong Phu, Long Thanh, Tan Binh, Vinh Thanh 2, and Vinh Thanh 3 industrial parks has been agreed upon. Relevant agencies are completing procedures and arranging funding for implementation in the coming period.

In addition, the proposal to establish the Tran De Economic Zone is being reviewed by the Management Board in coordination with a consulting unit, including a review of its boundaries and adjustments to its contents to align with the adjusted Can Tho City Master Plan. The economic zone is expected to create additional space for industrial and logistics development, contributing to enhancing the city's position in regional economic linkages.

Creating new growth impetus

According to Tran Ngoc Hung, Deputy Head of the Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board, the agency will continue coordinating with departments, sectors, localities, and industrial park infrastructure developers to help investors gain full access to information on planning, land availability, technical infrastructure, and investment conditions in the coming period.

At the same time, the city is focusing on resolving difficulties related to electricity, water, wastewater treatment, labour, and production-supporting conditions; supporting the connection of labour supply and demand; and encouraging businesses to step up digital transformation, technological innovation, energy efficiency, and environmentally friendly development.

According to Le Cong Ly, Standing Vice Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee, to achieve the goal of double-digit growth in the coming years, the city will focus on developing key pillars including processing and manufacturing, energy, logistics, and the industrial park system.

Each new industrial park not only creates additional production value but also helps attract investment capital, create jobs, increase budget revenues, promote trade and services, and accelerate urbanisation. The city will continue to accompany businesses through administrative reform, improving governance efficiency, enhancing the investment environment, and focusing on removing bottlenecks so that projects can be implemented on schedule.

With a coordinated development strategy covering planning, infrastructure, improvements to the investment environment, and business support, Can Tho is gradually expanding its industrial space, laying a foundation for enhancing competitiveness and attracting new investment capital. This provides a basis for the city to realise its goal of becoming an industrial centre of the Mekong Delta region and making a positive contribution to sustainable socio-economic development in the coming period.