Total outstanding loans of credit institutions in the northwestern region were estimated at more than 147.25 trillion VND (7.01 billion USD) by December 31, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.45 percent and 3.72 percent of the country’s total lending this year, said the State Bank of Vietnam (SVB).

By the date, bank branches in the 12 regional provinces mobilised nearly 110.96 trillion VND (5.28 billion USD), rising by 19.49 percent from a year earlier and accounting for 2.45 percent of the entire economy’s figure.

SBV Deputy Governor Dao Minh Tu said the region’s non-performing debt this year topped 2.12 trillion VND (over 100.9 million USD), accounting for 1.44 percent of total credit.

At a press conference on December 31, the SBV and the People’s Committee of Son La province said a conference to attract investment and aid to the northwestern region will be held on January 31 next year. At a similar event in 2014, commercial banks committed 333 billion VND (more than 15.85 million USD) for the provinces’ social welfare programmes.-VNA