The leader of the Provincial People’s Committee receives US Strategies Company: Discussing about building a free trade and non-tariff zone
06/28/2023 08:45
On the morning of June 27, Mr. Luong Trong Quynh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee received and worked with the delegation of US Strategies Company (CTS) led by Mr. Andrew Farrelly, Director of the company to discuss about developing free trade and non-tariff zones and converting industrial zones into free trade zones.
Overview of the meeting
Attending the meeting were the leaders of departments, boards, sectors Cao Loc, Loc Binh and Van Lang districts.
At the meeting, the leader of the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone (BGEZ) briefed on the geographical location and socio-economic development situation of Lang Son province.
Accordingly, with a synchronous transport system, connecting with major economic centers of the country, Lang Son province has become a major cargo transshipment gateway of Vietnam and ASEAN countries to the Chinese market and vice versa.
In recent years, the economy of Lang Son province has experienced a positive development. Specifically, GRDP in 2022 reached 7.22%; total import-export turnover through the province reached 28.7 billion USD; total number of tourists reached 3.5 million; Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) in 2022 of the province ranked 15/63 provinces and cities in the country; ranked 2nd out of 63 provinces and cities on the Provincial Green Index.
The non-tariff zone (the 1st phase) in the province has been formed with a total planning area of 205.7ha in Dong Dang – Lang Son BGEZ. In which, the system of main roads and auxiliary items (electricity, water, etc.) have been completed. There are currently two businesses investing in this area. Investment projects in Dong Dang – Lang Son BGEZ are eligible for investment incentives according to the Government’s regulations such as tax, land incentives and other supports…
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged and clarified the contents related to the planning, construction and development of free trade zones in the province.
Mr. Andrew Farrelly, Director of CTS Company talks about some related contents at the meeting
Mr. Andrew Farrelly, Director of CTS Company said: “CTS Company is a customs and trade consulting company based in Washington DC, USA. The company provides technical assistance and capacity building services for customs modernization, trade facilitation, logistics solutions, port management and development of non-tariff zones. At this meeting, the company wishes to work with the province to build free trade, non-tariff zones, and to convert industrial parks into free trade, non-tariff zones.”
Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Lang Son province Luong Trong Quynh speaks at the meeting
Speaking at the meeting, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee thanked CTS for its attention. He also said that: “Recently, the province added to the provincial plan a position of a non-tariff zone with an area of 510 hectares located in the complex of the non-tariff zone, inland port, urban center and the international goods storage center and 1 location of the 635ha non-tariff zone (in Yen Trach commune, Cao Loc district);… The province is currently implementing synchronous solutions to attract investment from businesses into works serving import and export activities, forming free trade zones, functional zones, developing information technology infrastructure…
What CTS Company was interested in matched the province’s policy of attracting investment. However, the province didn’t have any intention of using the state budget to invest in the development of free trade and non-tariff zones. Therefore, the province expected CTS Company to coordinate with units and businesses that were investing in non-tariff zones for investment according to regulations.
The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee assigned the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son BGEZ to receive the proposals of CTS Company, and at the same time to assist the CTS Company to find and connect with partners in consultancy to build free trade and non-tariff zones in the province.
