The Prime Minister has approved a trade development programme in remote mountainous or sea and island areas between 2015 and 2020.

The programme, which will be carried out across 287 disadvantaged districts, aims to narrow development gaps between regions, contributing to socio-economic development.

Its specific targets are to improve local income and ensure national defence and security in the districts while increasing sales of retail goods and services by 10-12 percent.

The project enables locals to develop businesses, exchange experience and forge relations with domestic and foreign partners.

It encourages residents to promote strong products and register for geographical indication protection and appellation of origin, all the while promoting sales via domestic distribution systems and seeking stable export outlets in foreign markets.

The programme will build a trade services system and expand goods distribution sites in mountainous and sea and island regions.

Furthermore, it will build infrastructure for local markets from the Government budget while encouraging localities to call for investment in the field.-VNA