Ha Tinh PCI: From “Rolling out the red carpet” to accompanying investors

Ha Tinh is implementing comprehensive solutions to build an integrated ecosystem where institutions, planning, infrastructure, and governance quality operate in a unified and coordinated manner.

Selective attraction of green investment and optimization of logistics gateway advantages

The province is reviewing and adjusting its Provincial Master Plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050, to create greater room for attracting strategic investment projects. In particular, it is clearly defining two key growth corridors:

The first is the East–West Economic Corridor, connecting Cau Treo International Border Gate with seaports to promote logistics and cross-border trade with Laos and northeastern Thailand.

The second is the coastal economic corridor centered on Vung Ang Economic Zone and Son Duong deep-water port, which is being developed into a national-scale industrial, energy, and logistics hub.

One of Ha Tinh’s strongest advantages today is its increasingly synchronized industrial infrastructure system. The emergence of large-scale industrial parks and industrial complexes such as VSIP, Vinhomes Vung Ang, the expanded Gia Lach Industrial Park, Bac Thach Ha Industrial Park, and several new industrial zones currently being promoted by the province is expected to generate significant spillover effects for the investment environment and the local business community.

At the same time, the province is accelerating a number of key transport projects, including the North–South High-Speed Railway, the Vientiane–Vung Ang Railway, the Vung Ang–Cha Lo Expressway, and the road connecting the two international border gates of Cau Treo (Vietnam) and Nam Phao (Laos).

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Thang, Deputy Director of the Ha Tinh Department of Finance, the province is shifting its investment attraction strategy from “attracting investment at all costs” to “selective investment attraction,” placing quality, efficiency, technology, and sustainable development at the center of its criteria.

“The province proactively screens investment capital based on genuine financial capacity, advanced technologies, energy efficiency, and environmental protection standards, while giving top priority to manufacturing and processing industries, clean energy, high-tech agriculture, and the green economy. This is an essential step toward realizing the vision of making Ha Tinh one of the growth poles of the North Central Region by 2030, with between 18,000 and 20,000 actively operating enterprises,” Mr. Thang emphasized.

Breakthroughs through the “Green Lane” mechanism

Ha Tinh recognizes that improving the investment environment is not merely about granting licenses; more importantly, it involves accompanying businesses throughout project implementation, operation, and expansion. The province’s guiding principle is clear: “Not only inviting investors, but accompanying them; not only making commitments, but taking action.”

In recent years, the province has established task forces and specialized steering committees to address bottlenecks related to investment procedures, land issues, site clearance, and delayed projects. Provincial leaders have conducted on-site inspections, worked directly with investors, and assigned specific responsibilities to departments, agencies, and local authorities to resolve difficulties within their respective jurisdictions.

A notable new initiative is the planned implementation of the “24-Hour Green Lane” and “60% Green Lane” mechanisms for procedures and dossiers related to key projects, growth-driving projects, and projects in economic zones, industrial parks, high-tech sectors, logistics, energy, social housing, high-tech agriculture, and other important fields.

Under this mechanism, applications classified under the 24-Hour Green Lane will be processed within 24 hours after all valid documents are submitted. Applications under the 60% Green Lane will have their processing time reduced by at least 60% compared to the legally prescribed timeframe.

Alongside this priority-processing mechanism, the province will continue monitoring application progress and operating an inter-agency task force to provide timely support, consultation, and problem-solving assistance to businesses. This solution is expected to reduce time-related costs, minimize repeated administrative procedures, and enhance transparency and predictability for investors.

At the same time, Ha Tinh is shifting from a pre-inspection approach to a post-inspection model, strengthening governance through data management, risk-based supervision, and accountability. Administrative procedures related to businesses continue to be streamlined. The average processing time for new business registration applications is approximately 1.2 days, 1.8 days shorter than the statutory requirement. All applications are processed on schedule, with more than 94% completed ahead of time.

Toward greater business satisfaction

At the 2026 Private Economic Forum, Ha Tinh provincial leaders candidly acknowledged that the province’s investment and business environment still faces bottlenecks that require more decisive action.

In 2025, Ha Tinh ranked 19th among 34 provinces and cities nationwide in the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index). The province’s PCI performance in 2025 also showed room for improvement, particularly in areas such as land access, time costs, transparency, fair competition, government proactiveness, and business support policies.

In 2026, the province plans to focus on several breakthrough solutions to improve the investment climate and enhance PCI performance.

First, it will accelerate administrative reform by reviewing, reducing, and simplifying procedures, while effectively expanding the Green Lane mechanism for key and strategic projects in economic zones, industrial parks, high-tech industries, logistics, energy, and other priority sectors.

Second, it will address bottlenecks related to land access, site clearance, industrial and logistics infrastructure, while accelerating compensation and land acquisition processes and completing essential infrastructure to facilitate faster project implementation.

Third, it will support enterprises in accessing finance, digital transformation, technological innovation, productivity improvement, green transition, and participation in value chains. The province also places strong emphasis on workforce development, startup support, the transformation of household businesses into formal enterprises, and the development of large-scale enterprises capable of leading growth.

Notably, improvements in PCI, DDCI, PAR Index, and SIPAS rankings will be directly linked to the accountability of heads of provincial departments, agencies, and local authorities. The objective is not merely to improve rankings but, more importantly, to bring about substantive improvements in public service delivery, creating an investment environment that is transparent, fair, efficient, and supportive.

Unlocking the potential of the private sector

The strong shift in Ha Tinh’s governance mindset—from “management” to “partnership and service”—has not only become a magnet for major investment flows but has also generated positive spillover effects, strengthening confidence among domestic economic actors and encouraging them to unlock their own potential.

The most convincing evidence of this action-oriented approach is reflected in the province’s investment attraction results.

In 2025, Ha Tinh approved 54 domestic investment projects with total registered capital of approximately USD 4.86 billion and attracted six FDI projects with nearly USD 28 million in registered capital.

In the first quarter of 2026, this momentum continued to accelerate as the province attracted 14 additional projects with total registered capital exceeding USD 4 billion, including two FDI projects worth more than USD 411 million.

To date, Ha Tinh has attracted more than 1,560 projects with total registered investment capital of approximately USD 28 billion. These achievements confirm the province’s growing reputation as a safe, practical, and highly attractive destination for industrial, logistics, and port-related service projects.

The benefits of an increasingly favorable investment environment have also spread directly to the local private sector, where nearly 12,000 active enterprises contribute around 60% of GRDP, 65% of budget revenues, and provide employment for nearly 98,000 workers.

According to Mr. Le Duc Thang, Chairman of the Provincial Business Association, strategic policy resolutions such as the Resolution on Private Sector Development have created strong political momentum and reinforced confidence in a transparent and equitable business environment.

He noted that Ha Tinh’s investment and business climate has improved significantly in recent years. Many support mechanisms and policies for business development have been implemented in a timely manner, providing a solid foundation for the private sector to maintain stable operations. However, amid continuing economic uncertainties, small and medium-sized enterprises still face challenges related to capital shortages, logistics costs, and limited digital transformation capabilities.

Mr. Tran Van Viet, General Director of Viet Hai Transport Trading and Services Co., Ltd., also acknowledged and highly appreciated the province’s efforts to improve the investment environment, particularly policies supporting science and technology applications, which have encouraged businesses to modernize equipment and enhance competitiveness.

Nevertheless, given the relatively short period since the issuance of new Politburo resolutions, the business community hopes that the core contents of Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW will continue to be translated into stronger and more decisive practical actions by the province in the coming years.

With its ambition of achieving double-digit economic growth, Ha Tinh is not merely “rolling out the red carpet” to attract investors. It is committed to accompanying investors, helping resolve difficulties, and fostering long-term, sustainable development partnerships.

What sets Ha Tinh apart is its strategic location, increasingly integrated industrial-port-logistics infrastructure, substantial development potential, and determination to build a service-oriented, transparent, and action-driven government.

The success of investors is the success of the province itself, and the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility will remain the guiding principle throughout Ha Tinh’s journey toward sustainable development in the new era.