Northern Bac Giang province should move to attract foreign direct investment into developing agriculture as the sector has yet grown to its potential, State President Truong Tan Sang has said.

He visited the locality on August 19 to examine its socio-economic development and defence-security maintenance as well as the combat readiness of army corps No 2 stationed in the province.

Though boasting advantages in land conditions for agriculture, Bac Giang should apply scientific and technological advances and new farming techniques, he advised.

The locality’s industry has yet changed to meet structure shifting requirements, the President pointed out, asking the authorities to pay heed to reeling investments in support, hi-tech industries to generate higher added value for industrial products.

He suggested local departments and branches give due attention to bettering the investment and business environment and providing vocational training for rural labourers to create a firm foundation for industrial development.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, the province made an industrial production growth of 30 percent annually, attracted 247 projects with a total registered capital of over 10 trillion VND, and achieved a GDP per capita of 1,250 USD. Some 9 percent of households are living under the poverty line, a significant drop of 10 percent from 2010.

The local authorities proposed the Government help Bac Giang become a key province in terms of tourism development and support enterprises investing in the locality.

Earlier, President Sang visited army corps No 2, the first mobile regular unit of the Vietnam People’s Army in the southern battlefield during the American war.

The unit participated in many campaigns and made outstanding exploits, deserving the trust of the Party, the State and people.

Later, he visited Wintek, the 100 percent Taiwanese-invested company, which has employed 7,000 local people after four years of operation. The company, specializing in producing mobile phone screens, plans to increase its registered capital to 1.1 billion USD.-VNA