The Vietnamese government today promised action on land allotment to Tata Steel's $5-billion integrated steel project in the country, saying there was no question of the land being given to a Chinese or Taiwanese company.
The issue will be addressed in the coming months by the local Ha Tinh government, which has to ensure some local conditions are met, Vietnamese Ambassador to India, Nguyen Thanh Tan, said on the sidelines of an interactive session with the Bharat Chamber of Commerce. He also said there was never a question of handing over of any land meant for Tata Steel to any Chinese or Taiwanese company. Tan, however, did not give any timeframe within which the land would be handed over.
There were allegations that Tata Steel was facing stiff competition from Taiwanese and Chinese companies for the land allotted for its planned 4.5-million-tonne plant in Ha Tinh province of Vietnam. The company had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnam Steel Corporation in 2007.
