The northern border province of Lang Son should focus on building a border gate economic zone with priority to be given to transport infrastructure, check-points and export processing zones, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

At a working session with the provincial authorities on May 26, PM Dung said Lang Son needs to speed up agricultural structure transfer and develop custard-apple and acacia growing areas and livestock breeding while reducing poverty and raising people’s incomes.

He also aksed the province to encourage businesses to invest in cement and thermoelectricity industries.

The Government leader praised efforts made by the provincial authorities and people to achieve comprehensive results in all fields.

He noted that despite being a border mountainous province with a majority of its population being ethnic minority people and poor infrastructure, Lang Son has effectively implemented targets set by the 14 th provincial Party Congress with its average annual GDP growth rate of 10.45 percent and per-capita income of 820 USD per year and all communes getting access to electricity

The province has made great contributions to the completion of land border marker planting and demarcation between Vietnam and China , he said, adding that this is the foundation for the province to effectively implement its socio-economic development tasks in 2010 and following years, he said.

During the visit, PM Dung inspected the construction of the Huu Nghi International Border Gate. He stressed that the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China are developing fruitfully, especially in economics, trade and investment.

Therefore, Lang Son should grasp this opportunity to develop its economy, he concluded./.