Bến Tre Province aims to establish 550 new enterprises in 2025, along with other ambitious economic goals. VNA/VNS Photo

BẾN TRE – The southern province of Bến Tre eyes ambitious goals to develop its industrial sectors, increase investment, and improve the business environment.

It aims to establish 550 new enterprises this year with charter capital of VNĐ4.6 trillion (US$183 million), said chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Trúc Sơn.

The province also plans to attract $400 million of FDI and VNĐ8 trillion ($318.3 million) from domestic investment sources, and request a $22 million State disbursement.

Sơn said Bến Tre will actively call for more investment, especially in the under-construction Phú Thuận Industrial Zone in Bình Đại District, which has an area of 231.78ha, with a total investment of VNĐ3.58 trillion ($142.5 million). 

It has been under construction since August 2023 and is expected to begin operations this year.

Additionally, the province will support investors in implementing 2024 Memoranda of Understanding.

It will implement favourable policies to support the growth of the collective economy and cooperatives, assisting them in upgrading operations and increasing competitiveness and operational efficiency.

Bến Tre will also help businesses to enhance productivity and train high-quality employees. 

Nguyễn Văn Bé Sáu, director of the provincial Department of Trade, said the department would conduct more activities to promote its industrial sectors, increase trade, and help businesses analyse and forecast their markets.

It will utilise FTAs between Việt Nam and other countries to assist the growth of businesses, he added.

Bến Tre is leveraging national industrial promotion funds and other financial resources to support businesses in investing, expanding their production and operations, and scaling up effective production models from projects funded by promotion programmes.

The locality will develop its leading businesses while also improving the value chains of leading products.

It plans to transfer and adopt advanced technology to create more high value-added products and accelerate digital transformation.

It will support businesses in registering for trademarks for specialty and OCOP products, as well as those with high export potential.

Science and technology businesses will be further supported, and trade of technological products will be increased.

The Bến Tre People’s Committee said the business promotion plan has been a success thanks to industrial promotion activities and the facilitating of trade and e-commerce.

This success is also attributed to the timely resolution of difficulties faced by businesses through regularly hosted support programmes.

Bến Tre Province has 6,734 enterprises, with a total charter capital of VNĐ72.9 trillion ($2.8 billion), of which 4,229 businesses are in operation.

Currently, the province has 325 active investment projects, including 68 FDI projects (worth $1.6 million) and 257 domestic projects (worth VNĐ61.2 trillion or $2.4 billion). – VNS