Quang Ninh (VNA) - The Ministry of Industry and Trade(MoIT) partnered with the People’s Committee of northern Quang Ninh province tohost a workshop on trade and investment promotion between traderepresentatives, foreign trade promotion organisations, and the province andits enterprises on November 13 in Ha Long city.

The workshop brought together representatives from the embassies of 27countries such as Algeria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Laos, Cambodia,Canada, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Egypt, Russia, and Sri Lanka, and from the KoreaTrade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Hanoi and close to 100 localexporters.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang HoangAn said the workshop is part of a series of events the ministry is co-hostingwith cities and provinces to boost exports and attract foreign investment inindustry and trade.

It provides an opportunity for the foreign diplomatic corps, traderepresentatives, and trade promotion organisations in Vietnam to explore thelocal market, establish contact with authorities in Quang Ninh and localenterprises, and beef up trade and investment, he said.

The deputy minister reiterated that Vietnam has been enduring theeconomic fallout from COVID-19 since early in the year and now the devastatingimpact of historic recent flooding in the central region.

Despite such challenges, the Government remains committed to fulfillingthis year’s twin goals of stemming the pandemic and fuelling economic recovery,he noted. Vietnam has maintained moderate growth, with foreign trade exceeding439.8 billion USD in the first ten months of this year, up 2.6 percent againstthe same period last year. The country also posted a ten-month trade surplus of18.72 billion USD.

Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Bui Van Khang briefed attendees on local potential, saying the province boasts threeinternational border gates, four international seaports, one internationalairport, five economic zones, and 11 industrial parks. It is also looking totransform the Van Don and Quang Yen coastal economic zones into a world-classtourist site and a hub for logistics and port services respectively, he said.

These are key to Quang Ninh’s plans to boost economic growth andinternational integration.

Over the last five years, the province has posted a number of outstandingachievements. Annual economic growth has averaged some 10.7 percent, he noted, higherthan the national average. Its economic size reached nearly 209.25 trillion VND(9.03 billion USD) in 2020, a 1.8-fold increase against 2015. Average percapita gross regional domestic product (GRDP) was 6,500 USD - double the nationalfigure. Average workplace productivity rose 11.6 percent annually, hitting275.9 million VND this year, or 1.73 times higher than in 2015.

Quang Ninh topped the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and thePublic Administration Reform (PAR) Index rankings for three consecutive years,in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and has also been among the best performers in the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) formany years, and was top in 2019.

It has also made great strides forward in improving its position in the ProvincialGovernance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), moving from 62ndplace in 2016 to third last year.

The province aims to develop green, clean, and hi-tech industries and smartand environmentally-friendly technologies, and boost the contribution ofprocessing, manufacturing, and smart, high technologies. Developing the Van Don andMong Cai Border Gate Economic Zones will be key to fostering local economicgrowth.

It will also facilitate the development of a chain of eco-urban complexesfor high-end trade, tourism and services, hi-tech agriculture, and the sea-basedeconomy.

Khang added that Quang Ninh is committed to furtherimproving its business climate and providing all possible conditions forinvestment and business, while increasing activities to be better connectedwith the world.

The MoIT’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) took the occasion tosign an agreement with the provincial Department of Industry and Trade and the QuangNinh Business Association to jointly promote trade in the province./.