Despite economic difficulties, industry and trade sectors have recorded positive results in northern provinces , the Vietnam Economic News quoted Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh as saying.

In the first nine months of 2014, industrial production value in the region was estimated at 1,430 trillion VND, an increase of 8.92 percent compared to the same period last year, and equal to 70.28 percent of the annual plan.
Export value in the first nine months of this year reached 45.87 billion USD, up 21 percent over the same period last year and met 75 percent of the annual plan. As many as 21 out of 28 northern provinces and cities recorded remarkable export growths over the same period last year.

The region has developed an effective distribution network which has met the local consumers’ consumption demand.

According to Director of the Industrial Policy and Strategy Institute Duong Dinh Giam northern localities should create industrial development zones based on local strengths.

Member of the Northwest Steering Committee Dao Trong Chuong was quoted as saying that industry and trade sectors played a key role in terms of poverty reduction, especially in mountainous areas, and people’s living standard improvement. However, it was needed to further promote modern agriculture and goods distribution channels.
Northern provinces and cities should pay more attention to service industry such as industrial logistics to meet regional major industrial projects, said Vice Chairman of Ha Tinh’s People’s Committee Nguyen Hong Linh.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said in the coming time, northern cities and provinces should work together to tackle with their difficulties and promote restructuring of state-owned enterprises in line with the government’s policy towards the formation of a regional value chain.

The northern region includes 28 provinces and cities with total area of 149,887.15sq.km, adjacent to Guangdong , Guangxi and Yunnan of China to the north, Laos to the west, and the Tonkin Gulf to the east.-VNA