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| President Truong Tan Sang (second, right) yesterday visits officers and staff of the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation in Quang Ninh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang |
QUANG NINH (VNS) — President Truong Tan Sang has asked the northern province of Quang Ninh to strive to develop further and come at par with economic centres of other countries in the region which share the same potential and conditions.
Speaking to the provincial leaders during a visit to Quang Ninh yesterday, the President commented that the province depended a lot on exploiting natural resources but lacked high quality products that a knowledge economy should produce.
Noting that a spirit of competitiveness helps in an era of global integration, Sang stressed that Quang Ninh should boost administrative reforms and apply a suitable development model to achieve a two-digit growth rate.
In response to the province’s proposal to build Van Don Island District into a special economic zone, the President said that the province should learn from the experiences of other countries regarding this.
He said that Quang Ninh should gradually decrease the export of crude natural resources to reduce the effect of climate change and environmental pollution. The province was advised to select hi-tech projects when calling for investment and enhance the agro-processing sector.
The President urged the province to focus on training of human resources to serve the development related needs of the local community and the country.
The same day, the President visited the Cai Lan International Port, a joint venture of the Cai Lan Investment Joint Stock Company and the SSA Holding International Viet Nam.
With a designed capacity of 520,000TEU a year, after two years of official operation, the port has a capacity to handle loading of 40 containers in an hour, which is the same as international standards. He asked the port’s authorities to make more efforts to expand the sea channel to cater to larger sized vessels.
In his meeting with Ha Long Shipbuilding Company, the President said the shipbuilder should restructure debts and expand market and co-operation with world partners.
The same day, he visited the Quang Ninh Province Administrative Centre and Quang Ninh Electricity Company.
Tours the islands
The President also made a working visit to Van Don District’s Ngoc Vung island commune and the Co To island District.
Ngoc Vung island commune lies in a strategically important area in terms of national defence and fisheries logistics centre. .
Besides raising annual seafood output to 1,000 tonnes, the commune is developing community-based tourism, services targeting thousands of visitors.
President Sang asked the local authority to further study its proposal of a special development mechanism, making it easier for concerned agencies to grant approval.
Working with the Co To local authority, the leader asked for ways to develop its economy, saying that he believes Co To can become a fisheries logistics and tourism centre in the foreseeable future.
He also requested local authorities to build a strong political apparatus, ensuring sea and island sovereignty. The President also said island districts in the province should work together to build a coastline of peace and friendship for mutual benefit.
Co To has three administrative communes and over 5,000 residents living mainly on fishery. Last year, it welcomed 56,000 visitors and is expecting to greet 100,000 this year.
In Ngoc Vung Commune and Co To District, the State leader offered incense at memorials dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh.
During his working trip, Sang also visited Mong Duong 1 and Mong Duong 2 thermo-power plants and paid floral tributes to war heroes in Ha Long City.
VIETNAM SHIPBUILDING NEWS 