The country’s four key economic zones (EZs), with their booming development, have helped boost economic activity in the areas surrounding them.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai made the statement at a conference of the Steering Committee for Key Economic Zones held in the southern province of Dong Nai on March 16.

The Deputy PM said that despite difficulties due to the global economic recession, the four key EZs, in the Northern Region, Central Region, Southern Region and Mekong Delta, enjoyed a growth rate of over 11 percent in 2009--double the country’s average.

However, he emphasised the need to create policies to attract labourers to key EZs, stabilise prices and effectively control inflation. In addition to diversifying forms of capital mobilisation and attracting foreign investment, key EZs should pay attention to improving technology, he said.

According to the Steering Committee, the four key EZs cover a natural area of more than 90,000 sq.km in which reside nearly 44 million people, accounting for over 51 percent of the country’s total population.

In 2009, the EZs posted an annual per-capita GDP of 29.5 million VND and their export value made up 91.4 percent of the country’s total./.