Hanoi will regain high growth in its industrial sector this year with a 5 – 5.5 percent increase in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), according to Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Le Hong Thang.

At a conference on January 16 to launch tasks for 2014, he said the added value of the sector this year is expected to rise by 8.1 – 8.9 percent from 2013.

To realise the targets, the department will continue to remove obstacles for businesses and facilitate the production of industrial goods that Hanoi is renowned for. It will also encourage the development of support industries and international cooperation, Thang said.

In 2014, the sector is set to improve handicraft quality and the competitiveness of craft villages that produce products in demand. It plans to speed up infrastructure building and investment promotion, along with completing industrial zones and clusters, he added.

Hanoi’s IIP increased by 4.5 percent in 2013 while the sector’s added value grew 7.49 percent from 2012 to nearly 31.8 trillion VND (1.5 billion USD).-VNA