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Bac Lieu to focus on marine economy
Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Province of Bac Lieu consider the marine economy as the driving force behind their socio-economic development strategy.
The strategy, which extends to 2015 and beyond, focuses on developing the Ganh Hao marine economic zone, which will eventually help establish a developed coastal strip and contribute to spurring economic growth for the entire region and the country.
Vo Van Dung, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said Ganh Hao coastal township had long been well-known not only in Bac Lieu but also across the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region.
"However, the potential and advantages offered by Ganh Hao estuary have yet to be properly tapped, thus yielding no socio-economic benefits," he said.
Since the Strategy for Vietnamese Sea until 2020 issued in February 2007, the provincial government has mapped out specific action plans for developing the marine economy.
Chairman Dung applauded the Prime Minister's decision to approve the locality's project to incorporate the Ganh Hao marine economic zone into the national master plan for coastal economic zones by 2020.
"This comes as a big opportunity to enable the province to make a breakthrough in socio-economic development and quickly escape poverty," he said.
Sea economy
The Ganh Hao marine economic zone covers 20,956 ha of Long Dien Dong, Long Dien Tay and Dien Hai communes, as well as Ganh Hao township, of which 17,000ha is natural land and 3,644ha, coastal wetland.
Covering 22km along the coastline, Ganh Hao was envisioned to become an integrated economic zone and the key industrial centre of the province for thermal power, aquaculture processing, shipbuilding and repair and port services.
Tourism and trading complexes, urban development and other marine-related industries have also been planned.
The zone is expected to house an export processing zone, a trading centre, an international exhibition area, an electricity hub and industrial clusters.
Economic experts said that Ganh Hao economic zone could develop into the province's leading and dynamic economic centre by 2030 if it adapted to global economic competition.
The zone would be a centre for aquaculture breeding and processing of international standards and hold high potential for producing large amounts of electric power for the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region.
If the provincial GDP growth rate stands at 13 per cent from now to 2020 and 9-10 per cent in the 2021-25 period, and budget revenue rises 11-12 per cent per annum, then the Ganh Hao zone would contribute roughly 50 per cent to the local GDP and attract 30,000 local labourers, according to experts.
Ongoing tasks
To facilitate the construction of Ganh Hao marine economic zone, Dong Hai District Party Secretary Le Hien said the locality was rallying support from grassroots and central levels to develop infrastructure.
Local authorities are concentrating on unravelling administrative hassles and speeding up construction of several key projects, including the administrative metropolis, hospital, resettlement area, Dinh Thanh Bridge, and upgrading and widening the arterial road from Highway 1A to Ganh Hao Township.
Billions of dong would be spent further on developing the local industry, commerce, services and luring investment, while the project to enlarge Ganh Hao fishing port will be finalised soon.
Starting from a low level economically, and located far from large commercial hubs, Bac Lieu is ranked among the poorest provinces in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened more dramatically in Bac Lieu than it has in other areas of the country.
vietnamnews
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