Quang Ninh has been chosen to pilot many models in administrative procedure reform in Vietnam. (Photo: VOV)

2020 was the fourth consecutive year Quang Ninh has topped the PCI and PAR index rankings, the second consecutive year leading the SIPAS, and the first time leading the PAPI.

Quang Ninh authorities see these achievements as a challenge to seek further improvement.

Though Quang Ninh’s PCI reached 75.09, the highest score in a decade, many of its component indexes remained low, especially the index in administrative procedures for land.

Tran Nhu Long, Director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said, “We’ll advise the provincial administration on long-term planning projects to address the current five major bottlenecks and regularly coordinate with localities to promptly outline mechanisms to speed up land clearance progress for businesses. The land pricing process will be more open and transparent, so people will feel better about handing over their land.”

Dau Anh Tuan, Head of the Legal Department of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and PCI project manager, said Quang Ninh needs to further improve the quality of meetings and dialogues with businesses, attach greater importance to reducing the number of businesses facing difficulties in labor recruitment, and look for ways to handle administrative problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last year’s survey showed that 64% of enterprises spoke highly of improvements in Quang Ninh’s policies at the provincial level but that enforcement at the local department and sector levels wasn’t good yet. The province’s plans to improve enforcement are on the right track and will eventually resolve the fundamental issues of Quang Ninh’s investment environment,” said Tuan.

Last year Quang Ninh became the first province to include the goal of annually maintaining its leading position nationwide in PCI, PAR, SIPAS and PAPI in its provincial Party Congress resolution.

It has outlined a resolution on accelerating administrative reform, improving its business and investment environment, and boosting provincial competitiveness until 2025 with a vision to 2030.

The foundation for achieving these goals is technological solutions, human resources, and efforts to build competitiveness from the grassroots level.

Secretary of Quang Ninh province's Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Ky (right) talks with workers at an industrial park amid the COVID-19 outbreak. (Photo: VOV)

"Building specific evaluation and measurement tools has helped us make an accurate and comprehensive assessment towards designing solutions to overcome limitations and promote strengths,” said Le Ngoc Han, Director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications.

"The tools have reminded us to create closer coordination between departments, sectors, and localities, to make sure heads of agencies monitor their work more closely, and to encourage units to make greater efforts to implement component indexes.”

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Ky said the top goal is to build an image of Quang Ninh as a leading locality in innovation and support of local governments at all levels to fully tap the province's potential and advantages.