The southern province of Dong Nai recorded gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 11.13 percent in the first nine months of 2013 to top the nation.

Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Bo Ngoc Thu said that in the abovementioned period, the province attracted 913 million USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), of which more than 700 million USD was disbursed.

The FDI projects mainly focused on support industry, high technology and environmental pollution treatment.

Domestic investors also poured more than 5 trillion VND (235 million USD) into projects in the province.

To support domestic businesses, the province disbursed 383 billion VND in loans, of which 72 billion VND went to small and medium-sized enterprises in the January-September period.

The province is implementing many large-scale transport projects, including one to upgrade National Highway No. 51 and one to build the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway.

To reach set goals in the remaining months of this year, Dong Nai will mobilise all resources to foster investment in infrastructure development, especially large-scale projects and key transportation systems, continue helping businesses solve difficulties, and develop agriculture and rural areas.-VNA