BÌNH THUẬN – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc lauded plans to develop the southern coastal province of Bình Thuận into a green, clean and sustainable economy during a local investment promotion conference yesterday. 

In his speech to more than 240 local and foreign businesses and investors, he said the province’s progress in infrastructure, export-import, vocational training and investment climate have attracted more businesses and investors to the locality. 
On the locality’s development strategy, the PM suggested improving the quality of planning, considering it crucial for sustainable development. 
Sectoral, regional and key product planning should not be contradictory to each other, with a focus on strengthening co-ordination with the southern economic zone and adjacent provinces, he added. 
Affirming the Party and State’s policy of continuing to mobilise social resources for development, the leader asked the province to come up with measures to execute the policy, mostly with the public-private partnership model. 
He revealed that the government will embark on several large-scale infrastructure projects in Bình Thuận, such as highways, coastal roads, and Phan Thiết airport. 

Commenting on local investment promotion, he proposed focusing on fields of strength such as wind and solar energy, tourism, organic and high-tech agriculture, and processing industry. 
The PM also asked Bình Thuận to improve workforce training and become one of the top 20 localities nationwide in terms of the administrative reform index. 

Talking with investors, he urged them to devise long-term and sustainable strategies for doing business in the province and to heed environmental protection. 
At the event, investment licences were presented to 14 projects worth a total of VNĐ43 trillion (US$1.86 billion) and a memorandum of understanding on investment in 20 projects worth more than VNĐ83 trillion ($3.6 billion) was signed. 

Endowed with a sunny and windy climate, Bình Thuận is well-positioned to develop agro-forestry-fisheries, renewable energy, green tourism and mining. A farming area of 27,000ha of dragon fruit with annual output of more than 600,000 tonnes made the province one of the top localities nationwide in terms of dragon fruit cultivation. 

Thanks to its 192km coastline, Bình Thuận is also one of the four largest fishing grounds in the country with yearly seafood production of more than 200,000 tonnes. 

Inspection of missile brigade

Also yesterday, the PM inspected training activities and the combat readiness of Naval Region 2’s Coastal Missile Brigade in the province. 

Writing in the brigade’s book of traditions, he expressed hope that officers and soldiers of the Coastal Missile Brigade will maintain strict discipline and high combat readiness so as to firmly safeguard Việt Nam’s marine sovereignty. 
Established in 2006, the Coastal Missile Brigade of Naval Region 2 is tasked with protecting sea and island sovereignty and the southern continental shelf of Việt Nam. 
The brigade’s officers reported to PM Phúc that it has taken measures to develop into a professional and modern brigade. 
Co-operation with other military units and local authorities has also been enhanced to be prepared in any circumstance. The brigade has made efforts to improve the leadership and combat capacity of its Party organisation. 
Additionally, it has engaged in natural disaster prevention, search and rescue activities, and assisted local residents in coping with disaster consequences. – VNS