HCM CITY — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Vĩnh Long is soliciting investment in large projects that use modern and environment-friendly technologies and bring high added value.

It is calling for investment of over VNĐ24.37 trillion (US$1.06 billion) in 10 projects in all three main sectors of the economy.

Lê Minh Tân, director of its investment promotion and enterprise support centre, said the province is inviting investment in key projects, including the VNĐ2.9 trillion ($126.1 million) Bình Tân Industrial Zone (IZ) in Tân Quới Town with an area of 400ha.

In the agricultural sector, it is soliciting investment of around VNĐ250 billion ($10.87 million) in a 50-100ha high-tech agricultural project in Vĩnh Long City.

It is also promoting an agricultural production and processing project in Bình Minh Town on an area of 10.6ha and costing VNĐ400 billion ($17.4 million).

In the housing sector, the province is looking for investment of VNĐ8.05 trillion ($350 million) in the 500ha Mỹ Hòa new urban project in Bình Minh and Mỹ Hòa communes and Bình Minh Town.

There is also an urban and administrative project worth VNĐ7.5 trillion ($326.1 million).

The province is mobilising resources to promote tourism with the aim of turning it into a key economic sector by 2030.

Its tourist and tourism revenues are increasing by 11.6 per cent and 25.7 per cent a year on average.

The province has also begun to attract investment in supporting industries such as the production of automobile parts.

This conforms with its desire to foster industrial production.

To improve the quality and effectiveness of foreign investment, it is working to attract strategic investors from markets such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and the EU, Tân said.

South Korea now has 18 investment projects worth nearly $90 million in the province, while Japan and Taiwan have invested $102.5 million and $239.2 million respectively.

The province also targets major projects and those with high-added value and using advanced and environment-friendly technologies, especially in agri-industry, human resources training and agricultural-based tourism, he said.

Local authorities would create optimal conditions for investors to know about key projects and incentives, and help them resolve investment obstacles, he added.

They have been announcing support and incentives to encourage investment in tourism, building infrastructure, tweaking planning for tourist areas to attract more investments, and developing unique tourism products.

Vĩnh Long last year issued investment certificates for 26 projects with a total investment of VNĐ4.35 trillion and over $104 million, including six foreign-invested ones.  VNS