Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (centre)  inspects the 2019-nCoV prevention efforts at the Imperial City of Huế. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Thừa Thiên-Huế Province must increase production to offset any losses caused by the impact of the novel coronavirus (nCoV), Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said.

The PM was speaking during a working session on Saturday with local authorities to discuss the province’s nCoV prevention work and socio-economic development plans.

Praising the central province for their nCoV prevention efforts, the Cabinet leader said the local tourism activities have not been stopped and still attract a high number of visitors from non-infected countries.

He said other localities could learn the best practice used to maintain safe tourism during these testing times.

According to Phan Ngọc Thọ, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the local authorities had taken measures to cope with the epidemic. So far, the province has not recorded any infected cases.

Meanwhile, reporting on the socio-economic achievements, Thọ said the Gross Regional Domestic Product of the province last year recorded a 7.8 per cent increase compared to 2018 and was ranked among five best performers in the key economic area of the central region.

PM Phúc urged the province to show stronger determination, especially in the field of tourism which is a key economic sector of the province, to accomplish the tasks set for this year.

Besides tourism, he ordered local authorities to review and strengthen business and production in industry, service and agriculture in response to the nCoV outbreak.

He said owning tangible and intangible heritages areas which recorded stories of Vietnamese talents, ideologists, poets, Thừa Thiên-Huế must take advantage of potentials to develop attractive tourism products.

He also asked local authorities to work out concrete plans to implement a resolution of the Political Bureau on the building and development of Thừa Thiên-Huế to 2030, with a vision to 2045, pledging that the Government will support the province in the work.

The resolution sets the target to turn the province into a centre of culture, tourism, healthcare, science-technology of the central region and the whole world.

By 2045, it will become the city of festivals and centre of culture, tourism and specialised healthcare of Asia.

Phúc asked the province to review and soon accomplish land use plans, organise production areas and residential areas to optimise infrastructure and public service efficiency. — VNS