PM asks Ha Tinh to become major industrial centre

Ha Tinh (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a working session with authorities of Ha Tinh on July 24 to discuss ways to build the central province into one of the major industrial hubs in the country.

Speaking at the event, the PM underscored the importance of Vung Ang Economic Zone, which he said, should be developed into an industrial centre for not only Ha Tinh but also the central region in the near future.

He suggested supplementing the provincial master plan, with a focus on Vung Ang Economic Zone, while continuing to improve business climate, facilitate businesses’ land access and save their time and costs.

The Government leader called for further attention to support industry, engineering and chemical industries, tourism, disaster and climate change response.

He asked Ha Tinh to continue monitoring two furnaces at the Taiwanese-invested Formosa steel plant and working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, ministries and agencies concerned to deal with environment protection violations at the company.

Commenting on future tasks, he said the province needs to continue refining mechanisms, grasp opportunities and make breakthroughs to improve local livelihoods.

Last year, the province’s gross regional domestic product grew 5.16 percent, including agriculture (down 3.4 percent), industry and construction (up 10.07 percent), and services (up 5.8 percent). The total State collections hit over 3.7 trillion VND (163.6 million USD), or 49 percent of the estimate.

The industrial production was estimated at 13.5 trillion VND (589.1 million USD), up 40.2 percent annually, mostly contributed by manufacturing-engineering and power supply. Several key industries such as electricity, steel, fiber enjoyed higher year-on-year growth.

Meanwhile, revenues from lodging, restaurant and tourism services reached 2.23 billion VND, up 1.72 percent. The total tourist arrivals to Ha Tinh numbered 820,000, marking a 15.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. They included 14,500 foreigners, up 11.5 percent annually. -VNA