Ninh Thuan (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the south central province o▨f Ninh Thuan to give more specific policy commitments to win investors’ confidence.

Speaking at the province’s investment promotion on August 27, the PM held that Ninh Thuan has high potential for growth thanks to its favourable location as well as natural and cultural conditions. However, he noted that the province ranks 42nd among 63 localities nationwide in provincial competitiveness index, which is behind many adjacent provinces. Ninh Thuan is also home to only about 2,000 businesses, far fewer than the country’s average figure. PM Phuc suggested the province to increase the number of enterprises, while revising its strategic planning towards a green economy and sustainable growth. Ninh Thuan should also foster connections with other regional localities to create larger space for development. The local government must change their mindset in management, creating favourable development space for enterprises and locals, while becoming more active and determined in improving its investment environment, the PM said. Highlighting the need to protect the environment during industrial expansion, he urged the local administration to require investors to pledge to close their factory if they are found to violate environmental protection rules. Ninh Thuan is located in the junction of the south central, central highlands and southeastern regions. The province has the largest wind and solar energy resources in the country, which are favourable conditions for the locality to become a major hub of economic development, especially in green energy. With a 105km coastline, the province is also strong in production of salt, fishing and maritime economy. In addition, Ninh Thuan has great potential for tourism thanks to beautiful bays such as Vinh Hy, Binh Tien and Ninh Chu. Currently, the province is encouraging investment in energy, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, industrial production, education, construction and real estate. At the conference, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnessed the signing of a number of agreements on investment projects in wind power, breeding and high-end resort construction, with total capital of nearly 9.5 trillion VND (431.8 million USD). Earlier the same day, the PM attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the Trung Nam wind power plant, the first of its kind in Ninh Thuan, invested by Trung Nam wind power company, a subsidiary of Trung Nam Group. Located in Loi Hai and Bac Phong communes in Thuan Bac district, the 90MW plant will be built at a cost of 3.96 trillion VND (177.48 million USD). Its first phase is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2017, providing green power to the province and the country. Also on August 27, the Government leader witnessed the launch of construction work at Binh Son-Ninh Chu coastal urban area in Phan Rang city, with an investment of nearly 1 trillion VND. Earlier on August 26, the PM visited Vietnam Heroic Mother Nguyen Thi Don and former Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Trung Hau, as well as a number of successful farm models in the locality.-VNA