Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung paid a visit to the Mekong delta province of Hau Giang on February 4 to congratulate local people on the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

The government leader highly valued the socio-economic achievements made by the province over the past year, saying local people’s living conditions have been improved, helping boost development in the entire region.

He asked the locality to continue upholding its achievements along with focusing on addressing its weaknesses in order to improve implementation of its socio-political tasks set for 2011.

The PM informed local authorities and people of the success of the National Party Congress. He also said that under the leadership of the Party and State, over the past five years, Vietnam recorded an economic growth rate of 7 percent, lowered the unemployment rate in urban areas to below 5 percent and ensured macroeconomic stability.

Vietnam also competently performed its role as ASEAN Chair, helping to raise its prestige in the international arena, he said.

During the meeting, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Huynh Minh Chac said Hau Giang province is determined to fulfil socio-political tasks set for the period 2010-2015./.