Mr. Hoang Minh Cuong - Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee (second from the right) receives the PCI Cup for the year 2023.

Consistently ranking at the top with the best PCI index.

In recent years, Hai Phong City has always been evaluated as a locality attracting FDI ranking at the forefront nationwide. According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Hai Phong City, Hai Phong City has always maintained a good PCI index. This index evaluates from the objective perspective of the business community on the investment and business environment, the determination of the city's leadership, and government in attracting investors to the city.

The clearest manifestation of this is the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), in the past 5 years, Hai Phong has continuously been in the top 10 localities with the best PCI index in Vietnam. Specifically, in 2019, Hai Phong City's PCI index ranked 10th out of 63 provinces and cities, ranked 4th out of 11 provinces and cities in the Red River Delta region, and increased by 6 places compared to 2018. In the following years, Hai Phong City consistently ranked in the top 10 localities with the best economic management quality in Vietnam. In 2021, Hai Phong City rose to second place nationwide. In 2022 and 2023, it ranked third nationwide. Especially, to maintain the reform momentum, in 2020, Hai Phong City for the first time implemented the assessment of the District and Departmental Competitiveness Index (DDCI).

Trang Due Industrial Park, a destination for many secondary investors, including LG Group (Photo: Nguyen Vu).

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Hai Phong City, the implementation and publication of DDCI by Hai Phong City demonstrate the high commitment of the city government in further improving the investment and business environment. Previously, the evaluation of certain factors such as the quality of governance, administrative procedures, satisfaction of citizens, and businesses... was quite vague, but now, Hai Phong City's approach is based on quantification, specific data, to set improvement goals in the near future. That is the most important significance of Hai Phong City starting to implement and publish DDCI. And this DDCI index is the extended arm of PCI. It is also one of the ways for Hai Phong's investment environment and PCI index to continuously achieve high rankings in recent years.

"It is not by chance that Hai Phong's PCI index has always been at the top nationwide in recent years; it is a process of continuous effort. Therefore, enhancing competitiveness is not only the responsibility of the city itself but has become the responsibility of every department, committee, sector, and district," Mr. Tu said.

Creating the most favorable conditions for businesses

During the 2023-2024 period, Hai Phong City aims to maintain its position at the top of the PCI ranking nationwide, with a PCI score consistently reaching 71 points or above. At the same time, it will continue to significantly improve its scores and rankings, striving for 10 component indices to reach 7 points or above... Especially, in 2024, Hai Phong City aims for a GRDP growth rate of about 11.5% to 12%; total social investment capital reaching 210,000 billion VND; attracting from 2 - 2.5 billion USD of foreign investment...

To achieve these goals, Hai Phong City identifies 6 key tasks. Among them, continuous and persistent improvement of the investment and business environment is crucial, which requires concerted and sustained efforts from the entire political system, not being satisfied with the results achieved. The city continues to evaluate DDCI because this has a significant role and strong impact on the PCI score and ranking position.

Authorities and departments proactively introduce many new initiatives to support businesses, especially in building new support models related to conditional business licensing procedures and implementing online public services, online payments. At the same time, they grasp and quickly resolve investors' concerns through sector-specific dialogues.

Furthermore, every civil servant fulfills their tasks with a desire for innovation, creativity, following the spirit of "support - listen - understand - friendly - enthusiastic - accompany" businesses. Besides, this locality continues to listen to opinions, support, remove, and solve difficulties for investors and businesses in implementing projects, thereby strengthening their trust in Hai Phong.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tung - Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee, continuous and persistent improvement of the investment and business environment requires decisive engagement from the entire political system, necessitating innovative thinking, flexible management, creativity, and not being satisfied with the results achieved.

Therefore, authorities and departments need to proactively introduce many new initiatives to support businesses, especially in building new support models related to supporting conditional business licensing procedures and implementing online public services, online payments.

"Hai Phong City will continue to innovate thinking, flexible management, creativity, build and manage a more modern, open, friendly government, aiming to become the most favorable business environment, the desired destination for both domestic and foreign investors. The city's leadership will always support and accompany businesses, ensuring a safe, secure investment environment, mutually beneficial, with the motto: The success of businesses is the success of Hai Phong City," Mr. Tung affirmed.

It is known that since 2023, Hai Phong City has implemented the "Connecting conditional business licensing procedures" model to provide more convenience for businesses and investors. Implementing diverse and innovative forms of support, businesses can submit valid documents right from the first submission when performing administrative procedures, simplifying paperwork, promoting the use of public postal services; maximizing the use of digital technology in work resolution.

At the same time, this locality has also approved a plan to reduce the time for implementing 35 procedures and proposed, recommended central ministries and sectors to reduce document components and implementation procedures for 3 procedures. Unnecessary administrative procedures have been cut down, significantly reducing the time for administrative procedures.

According to Mr. Suk Myung Su - General Director of LG Display Vietnam Hai Phong Co., Ltd., through investment projects over the past nine years, LG Group and the city have formed a deep, good, shared relationship, experiencing ups and downs together and developing together. Hai Phong City and all levels, all sectors have made efforts to support investors, and Hai Phong has become a "city worth investing in" for businesses.