Binh Duong urged to develop hi-tech industries

The southern province of Binh Duong should adopt proper policies to draw more investments in hi-tech industries and financial and trade services in order to ensure its rapid and sustainable growth.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung delivered the request during a working session with local authorities on August 10, focusing on the province’s performance of socio-economic tasks in the 2006-2010 period and its development directions for the next five years.

Binh Duong should review the planning of industrial zones and high-quality agriculture combined with the development of modern urban centres and the processing industry, striving for an annual average GDP growth rate of more than 13 percent in the next five years and a per capita income of over 60 million VND by 2015, he said.

The leader urged the province to focus on developing its human resources and transport infrastructure, taking care of and protecting the legitimate interests of workers, and paying due attention to environmental protection.

He commended Binh Duong on multifaceted achievements it has recorded over the past five years, citing its annual average economic growth of 14 percent and a 20 percent rise in industrial production value, and per capita income of 30 million VND a year.

The province attracted 846 foreign-invested projects with a combined capital of 7.3 billion USD during the review period, bringing the total number of projects to 1,966 and capitalised at 13.3 billion USD.

Binh Duong managed to reduce the number of poor households to below 1 percent and raise the rate of trained workers to 60 percent of its workforce, while making progress in the fields of culture, education, health care and the environment, PM Dung said.

However, the PM noted that the provincial leaders must be careful while mapping out urban development plans, especially those regarding housing and welfare projects, as the province’s population has grown rapidly due to the influx of migrant workers.

He also proposed the province take drastic measures to accomplish this year’s socio-economic targets and successfully organise Party congresses at all levels.

Tags: hi-tech industries