Delegates attend the zone's ground-breaking ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo Bùi Giang

LONG AN — The construction of Nam Thuận Industrial Zone (IZ), worth over VNĐ5.3 trillion (US$230 million), began in the southern province of Long An on Thursday. 

Financed by Đại Lộc Long An JSC, the IZ covers more than 308ha in Đức Hoà District. It will serve a wide range of sectors including electronics and telecommunications, mechanical engineering, weaving, dyeing and garment, wood and food and beverage processing. 

Trịnh Văn Hải, the company's general director, described the IZ as an important project in the development plan of his enterprise while contributing to turning Long An into a bright spot of development in the Southwest region.

Hải added his company targeted to complete the zone's technical infrastructure of about 180ha by the end of 2023 so that the zone would be inaugurated one year later.  

To date, 18 businesses have signed contracts in principle with the investor on leasing nearly 30ha of land. This figure is expected to increase to ​​about 100ha by the end of this year. 

Out of 37 planned IZs in the province, 16 are operational, attracting over 1,700 projects. Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyễn Văn Út said that their occupancy rate was 91.7 per cent.

The chairman said the development of Nam Thuận IZ would make an important contribution to increasing the clean land fund to attract investment and promote the socio-economic development of the locality.

In his speech at the ground-breaking ceremony, he suggested the investor speed up site clearance and complete the infrastructure to receive secondary investors. At the same time, he required relevant units and sectors to actively support the enterprise in implementing its project. 

During the event, the committee also granted investment certificates to four projects in Xuyên Á IZ, with a total investment capital of more than VNĐ5 trillion. — VNS