PHÚ YÊN — Investors should turn the potential of central coastal Phú Yên Province into money, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said on Friday.

Speaking at the largest investment promotion conference held in the province, Phúc asked the locality to continue to use tourism as its development momentum.

“The province should attract big and prestigious investors while diversifying and improving tourism quality," he said. "It should also enhance links with other localities inside and outside the country.”

Phú Yên has a north-south road system, railway, airways and seaway. It also has diversified natural resources, including sea economic sectors, hi-tech agriculture, agro-forestry, minerals and renewable energies.

Phúc highlighted the advantages of the province and its dynamic authorities in welcoming “sunrise” development.

The PM said he valued the province’s efforts in developing economic infrastructure and improving the investment environment.

“With its advantages and hard-working people, Phú Yên can surely achieve sustainable and rapid development in the central and Central Highlands regions,” he said.

Phúc urged Phú Yên to ensure stability, transparency and equal competition in accessing resources and business opportunities. It should also pay attention to start-ups, especially by young people in the rural areas.

“Phú Yên was requested to follow the country’s reform flow as well as taking advantages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in management, building e-governance and removing bureaucracy,” he added.

The province was asked to quickly resolve investment barriers, while improving its provincial competitiveness index (PCI) and public administrative performance index (PAPI) and become known as trustworthy.

He said Phú Yên should enhance regional associations, especially with Bình Định, Khánh Hòa, Lâm Đồng and Đắk Lắk which could supplement advantages for the province.

It could also mobilise social resources to attract investment of clean and hi-tech industries.

He expected the province to develop seafood and prevent illegal exploitation. Businesses and investors should protect the environment and traditional culture.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Huỳnh Tấn Việt, said the province had strong commitments to helping investors.

Between 2011-17, Phú Yên received 284 investment projects, including 19 foreign direct investments with total registered capital of US$6 billion.

“The province will give priorities to sea eco-tourism, culture and building distinctive tourism products," Việt said.

"Phú Yên will also focus on key sectors of finance, logistics, information and telecommunications; support industries, energy and agro-forestry processing.” 

Việt added that the province would seek investment in urban infrastructure, housing and real estate and establish special cultivation areas with post-harvest and processing technologies.“Investors in the province are our citizens. Their success will be ours,” he added.

At the event, the provincial People’s Committee approved 17 investment licences worth a total of  VNĐ12.4 trillion ($558 million) and signed memoranda of understanding with others.

These have been big scale projects, contributing to the province’s development and providing jobs for local people.

On the same day, PM Phúc attended the inauguration of the Đà Rằng- Sông Chùa Bridges to ease congestion at the south of Tuy Hòa City and expanding Phú Yên Urban Area.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also announced the PM’s decision to approve development planning of Xuân Đài Bay National Tourism Area by 2030.

Accordingly, Phú Yên will develop the area based on its advantages of the Gành Đá Đĩa (Sea Cliff of Stone Plates) to develop national tourism products.

More than 500 delegates, including those from 260 domestic and international enterprises attended the conference. — VNS