Điện Biên steps up reforms to attract investment

ĐBP - In recent years, Điện Biên province has stepped up efforts to improve the investment climate and enhance competitiveness. The province has focused on streamlining administrative procedures, promptly removing barriers, and creating favorable conditions for businesses and investors. As a result, capital flows, particularly non-budget investment, have been on the rise, becoming a key driver of local economic growth.

Recognizing investment environment reform as a priority, Điện Biên has issued a range of mechanisms and policies to support business development. The province has been implementing Resolution No.12-NQ/TU on administrative reform and competitiveness for the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2030, and has rolled out an action plan in line with the Government’s Resolution No.02/NQ-CP on improving the business environment and national competitiveness in 2025. It also launched the 2025 investment promotion program with seven targeted activities tailored to local conditions.

At the same time, Điện Biên has ramped up investment promotion, inviting domestic and foreign corporations to explore opportunities in energy and urban infrastructure. The provincial People’s Committee holds quarterly meetings with investors to resolve obstacles and ensure projects run smoothly.

Currently, the province is implementing more than 60 administrative procedures related to business registration. All applications are processed faster than the statutory timeframe, averaging just 1.2 days, nearly two days shorter than regulations require. For change-of-registration cases, the average time is only 0.85 days, cutting 2.15 days from the official limit. Thanks to these efforts, Điện Biên’s investment climate continues to improve. The province’s 2024 PCI (Provincial Competitiveness Index) score reached 67.67 points, up 0.9 points from 2023.

Điện Biên province has recently placed strong emphasis on agricultural investment. In the photo: Workers at Cara Farm Vietnam Co., Ltd. tending organic fruit crops.

Attracting non-budget capital for urban infrastructure has been a particular focus. To date, the province has secured 15 projects in this sector, many of which have been completed and are delivering results. A standout example is the five-star Mường Thanh Luxury Điện Biên Hotel, which opened on May 7, enhancing service quality and adding a new highlight to the city’s skyline. The province continues to push forward non-budget projects to further boost growth in 2025.

Recently, Điện Biên broke ground on two new urban development projects funded by non-budget capital in Điện Biên Phủ ward: the Him Lam Urban Residential and Commercial Service Area (nearly VND 981 billion, covering 4.8 hectares with a planned population of 600 people) and the Mường Thanh A Urban Residential Area (nearly VND 614 billion, covering 5 hectares. The project includes 167 townhouses, 25 resettlement lots, and synchronized infrastructure, linking the urban space with the Mường Thanh market - commercial service area. Both projects are expected to create modern, livable neighborhoods and reshape the urban core.

Energy has emerged as another key sector for Điện Biên. Since the beginning of this year, two hydropower plants have been completed and put into operation, bringing the total to 22 plants with a combined installed capacity of nearly 320 MW. Alongside hydropower, Điện Biên is promoting renewable energy, including wind and solar. In the final months of the year, the Department of Industry and Trade is pushing ahead with the implementation of two wind power projects with a total capacity of about 300 MW.

Notably, Danish developer Vestas Development A/S is investing in two wind projects in Điện Biên Đông and Mường Ảng districts, and has proposed an additional cluster in Na Tông - Tìa Dình. The provincial People’s Committee has approved survey permits, opening new prospects for tapping renewable energy potential.

With fertile land, diverse climate, and abundant agricultural resources, Điện Biên is also rich in agricultural potential. The province has introduced favorable policies to attract agribusiness investment. Between 2020 and 2025, it has drawn 17 agricultural projects with total capital of more than VND 12.835 billion, which are currently being implemented.

In March 2024, the province approved the BHL Điện Biên Cassava Starch Processing Plant project, with an investment of more than VND 283 billion. Covering 287,000 square meters, including both factory facilities and experimental farming areas, the plant is set to operate for 50 years and is expected to give a fresh boost to Điện Biên’s processing industry.

Thanks to these concerted efforts, the province has achieved strong investment outcomes. In just the first six months of 2025, Điện Biên welcomed six new projects worth nearly VND 1.2 trillion. To date, the province has 216 registered projects with total capital of almost VND 48.3 trillion, including 128 completed and operational, and 88 currently underway.

Phạm Trung
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