Bac Ninh: Improving PCI Requires Endurance

According to the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, the province highly values and appreciates the persistent contributions of businesses to building a prosperous and modern locality. More than just words of gratitude, this recognition has been translated into practical actions, as the province consistently strives to improve the investment environment, remove barriers, and create development momentum for all economic sectors.

All these efforts aim to improve the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) — a metric that reflects the quality of economic governance and the business environment at the local level.

When Leadership’s Determination Spreads Throughout the Political System

The provincial government constantly emphasizes the central role of enterprises in economic development, and thus continues to refine support mechanisms and policies, accelerate administrative reforms, strengthen public-private dialogue, and vigorously apply digital transformation in delivering public services.

According to Dr. Nguyen Duy Ha, Acting Vice President of the Bac Ninh Institute for Socio-Economic Development, enhancing PCI is not merely an administrative goal or a ranking achievement. Behind every score is business feedback on governance quality, service attitude, and satisfaction with the investment environment. Therefore, genuine improvement in PCI can only be achieved when the determination to improve extends beyond a few directives and becomes a shared commitment throughout the political system.

Mr. Ha also noted that improving PCI is not just a race between provinces and cities, but also a natural pressure in the increasingly fierce competition to attract investment. Observing the progress of other localities gives Bac Ninh further motivation to "look inward," identify bottlenecks, and resolve weak links.

Looking Back to Leap Forward

The PCI 2024 results recently announced by VCCI show that, although Bac Ninh did not achieve its desired ranking, there were notable improvements in several important sub-indices.

The “Entry Costs” index increased by 0.66 points, from 7.41 in 2023 to 8.07 in 2024. This improvement indicates that Bac Ninh is creating a more favorable environment for business formation and development. Reforms in administrative procedures and the reduction of bureaucratic barriers likely played a key role in this improvement.

Moreover, the “Business Support Policies” index rose significantly by 1.94 points, from 5.47 in 2023 to 7.41 in 2024. This reflects a clear enhancement in business support, especially in areas such as financial assistance, legal consulting, and facilitating access to preferential policies. These changes will help businesses in Bac Ninh grow and scale up, thereby improving the province’s overall competitiveness.

The “Labor Training” index also increased from 6.51 to 7.05, demonstrating the province’s efforts to improve workforce quality in response to rising labor market demands.

Infrastructure Index

According to Mr. Do Van Ha, Deputy Director of the Bac Ninh Department of Finance, the 2024 PCI results are more than just a scorecard—they act as a mirror reflecting the strengths and weaknesses of local economic governance. It’s also an opportunity for Bac Ninh’s authorities to take a comprehensive, objective look at themselves, identify administrative reform bottlenecks, and improve investment and construction procedures as well as public services.

Recognizing these weaknesses accurately has enabled Bac Ninh to define key focus areas for 2025 and beyond.

Businesses believe that the most important factor in improving PCI is people. The key is positive transformation from within the system itself. This view aligns with a reform mindset centered on citizens and businesses, and it reinforces the role of civil servants in operating an effective and efficient state management system.

In reality, if officials work with a "service-oriented" rather than a "management-oriented" mindset, and if they understand and accompany businesses through their challenges, improving PCI will no longer be a burden but a motivating force for systemic progress.

As a result, Bac Ninh asserts that administrative reform cannot be separated from reforming human resources. The province enhances training and capacity building for officials in handling real-life situations, while also implementing reward mechanisms for capable, proactive civil servants. This forms the foundation for building a modern public service culture in which every official understands that they are there to "serve" the people and businesses.

Improving PCI is a Long-Term Race Requiring Endurance

Unlike short-term indices, PCI is a composite, long-term indicator that requires sustained reform efforts. As the Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee stated: “Improving competitiveness is a marathon that requires endurance and a methodical approach.” This means efforts cannot be short-lived or episodic but must follow a consistent, province-wide strategy.

In an increasingly competitive environment among provinces, with the country transitioning toward a green and digital economy, improving the business environment is not only about “attracting investors” but also about meeting the demands of sustainable and innovative development. Therefore, PCI is not just a ranking contest—it is the “health index” of local governance.

Bac Ninh has shown strong political will by making PCI improvement a top priority in its action programs. The province has rolled out comprehensive measures such as enhancing dialogue with businesses, providing legal support, aggressively digitizing public services, strengthening administrative discipline, making processes more transparent, and promptly addressing business concerns.

These efforts have already laid the groundwork for Bac Ninh’s PCI to rise in the coming years. More importantly, the province has correctly identified the root of the issue: people – awareness – implementation. Once these three elements function harmoniously and consistently, climbing the national PCI rankings is only a matter of time.