The Steering Committee for Southwestern Region on June 25 organised a conference in Can Tho city to review security situation in the Mekong Delta over the past six months and launch tasks for the remainder of the year.

During January-June, agencies from various forces have worked together to promptly deal with sabotage activities by hostile forces to ensure security in the region, the conference heard.

However, China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou -981 drilling rig deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf from early May has posed risks to these efforts.

Meanwhile, complicated developments have been seen in the protection of security along the shared border, the operations by hostile forces, complaints and labour strikes by local people and the social order.

In the second half of the year, the committee will coordinate closely with local Party committees and authorities at all levels to handle efficiently arising issues related to security and defence.

It will increase communication campaigns to raise local people’s vigilance against activities aimed at undermining the economy as well as hostile forces’ sabotage schemes.

Due attention will be given to boosting ties with neighbouring countries, the committee said.

Comprising 12 provinces and one centrally-run city with a total area of 40,000 square kilometres and a combined population of 18 million, the region is the country’s largest granary.

It produces 52 percent of the national rice output and 90 percent of the total rice export.

The region provides 58 percent of the country’s total aquatic products output and accounts for 60 percent of national aquatic export turnover.

Around 70 percent of fruit supply in the country comes from orchards in the region.-VNA