Day: July 16, 2023

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked Bac Kan to focus on forest-and tourism-based economy at a working session with the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee as part of his trip to the northern mountainous province on July 16.

For the forest economy, the PM pointed to the three spearheads of carbon credit trading, biomass electricity and pharmaceutical industry.

Meanwhile, tourism development should be based on the province’s beautiful, majestic landscapes and traditional culture, he said.

The PM lauded Bac Kan’s performance in economic development, infrastructure development, national defence and security, and especially in improving living standards of ethnic minority groups.

He, however, noted that its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth still remains modest, and its industry-construction and services have failed to meet growth targets, along with other shortcomings in the planning work, production and business, natural resources management and environmental protection.

Chinh asked the province to mobilise all resources for development, stressing development should go in tandem with social equality and progress.

Bac Kan needs to make better performance in planning and infrastructure development, considering this a key, priority political task, he said, urging the locality to quickly complete and submit its provincial planning scheme for 2021-2030 with a vision towards 2050.

More attention should be paid to transport infrastructure, public investment and the construction of industrial parks and clusters, the leader continued.

He also asked the province to boost the agricultural sector effectively and sustainably, utilise science-technology to raise the value chain and accelerate new-style rural area building, saying agricultural and forestry development should go in parallel with tourism.

Chinh emphasised the need to step up investment attraction, push ahead with the implementation of public investment projects, further support enterprises and cooperatives in promoting their products, expanding the market and improving their production and business capacity.

He suggested the locality build community-based tourist sites, organise more cultural, sport and tourism events to promote its cultural heritage, and boost smart tourism development.

He spoke of other tasks for Bac Kan like reforming administrative procedures, improving the local investment environment, intensifying digital transformation, ensuring social welfare, preserving and upholding cultural values, and turning them into resources for development, and ensuring national defence and security, as well as social order and safety.

Later the same day, the PM visited the suspended non-coke smelter of Material and Complete Equipment Export – Import Corporation (Matexim) to examine hindrances to its operation.

Bac Kan reported a growth rate of 5.02% in the 2021-2022 period, and its GRDP stood at 5.7% in the first six months of this year, ranking 34th out of the 63 cities and provinces nationwide, and sixth among the 14 northern midland and mountainous localities.

In the first half, the province welcomed 571,000 tourists, 2.5 times higher than the figure recorded in the same period last year, and fulling 74% of the yearly target./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on July 15 offered incense and flowers at the Hue city martyrs’ cemetery in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue on the occasion of the 76th War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947- 2023).

Accompanying the top legislator were a number of NA officials, and leaders of Thua Thien-Hue province.

Chairman Hue and his delegation paid tribute to more than 2,000 heroes who laid down their lives for the Fatherland’s independence and freedom.

The same day, Hue visited and presented gifts to the family of martyr Ton That Canh – Hero of People’s Armed Forces, and war invalid Tran Ba Luu.

Visiting the two families, Hue affirmed that the Party and State will never forget the sacrifice martyrs and war invalids made for national independence, freedom, and happiness of the people.

He hoped that families continue the revolutionary tradition, encourage their children to actively study and work, contributing to the development of Thua Thien – Hue, and the national building and safeguarding cause./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue urged the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to complete important planning schemes and projects, towards the status of a centrally-run city by 2025 at a working session with the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee in Hue city on July 16.

The top legislator hailed the province’s performance in socio-economic development, with its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in the first half of this year growing 6.51% year-on-year, higher than the national average, and ranking 25th out of the 63 cities and provinces nationwide.

Notably, the number of international tourists to Thua Thien-Hue, home to the UNESCO-recognised Complex of Hue Monuments, increased nearly 27 times than in 2022.

Hue lauded the locality’s efforts in infrastructure development, administrative reform, digital transformation, socio-cultural-educational development, and social welfare, among other spheres.

He highlighted the target of building Thua Thien-Hue into a safe, friendly destination, and a land of happiness with full energy by 2050.

Thua Thien-Hue should work harder to raise the efficiency of the management, exploitation, mobilisation, allocation and use of resources to achieve its development targets, he said, stressing the need for the province to remove its A Luoi district from the poverty list.

The Standing Board was asked to revamp its leadership and improve the operational quality of the province’s delegation of NA deputies as well as all-level People’s Councils.

At the same time, Thua Thien-Hue needs to better perform its tasks in national defence and security, and maintaining political stability, and social order and safety in the locality, Hue said.

On this occasion, the Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) presented a financial package to help the province build a medical centre in Binh Thanh commune, Huong Tra town./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Nine fisherfolk went missing off the waters of Mercedes town in Camarines Norte, the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD-5) said Sunday. Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD-Bicol spokesperson, said 10 left the Mercedes Fish Port on Tuesday and were expected to return home the following day. However, the boat, FB Mutya, experienced mechanical trouble that hindered sailing back to the port. “There are nine fishermen and a pilot onboard on fishing boat Mutya last July 11. After they had a mechanical problem, the pilot spotted a small motorboat that was passing by and was able to accommodate him back to Mercedes in order to seek rescue,” Naz said in an interview. Upon learning of the incident, the owner of the boat conducted a rescue operation on board FB Marlon but unfortunately did not reach FB Mutya because of another technical problem. They went back to Mercedes to get another boat but FB Mutya could not be located anymore. Those missing were identified as Nazario Pardenas, Jay-ar Mocorro, Eric Torres, Armando Fajardo, Ricardo Murao, Rogelio Abines Jr, all residents of Barangay San Roque, Mercedes town; and Anthony Quirante, Edmund Parago and Jhun Calisay of Quezon province. On July 15, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office activated its Search and Rescue (SAR) team with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard, the pilot and the owner of the missing vessel using a “taksay” or big boat. However, huge waves forced the SAR team to retreat to Mercedes. Naz said they already requested an aerial search and rescue through the Tactical Operations Group-Bicol of the Philippine Air Force. “Search and rescue operations will be carried out as the weather improves. Mercedes’ municipal social welfare development office issued two boxes of food packs for each family as initial assistance,” Naz said.

Source: Philippines News Agency