Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (standing), Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Chairman of Đà Nẵng People's Committee Trương Quang Nghĩa co-chaired the meeting with central and Central Highlands provinces on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

ĐÀ NẴNG — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Saturday urged 12 cities and provinces in the central and Central Highlands key economic region to push ahead with public investment disbursement as a means to boost the economy now that Việt Nam got coronavirus pandemic under control.

During a meeting in Đà Nẵng with representatives of the localities, the leader said greater efforts are needed to remove difficulties faced by the existing projects, and attract new projects. 

He also ordered measures to promote domestic tourism, digital transformation, administrative reform and online public services, along with breakthrough solutions to spur regional connectivity and airport, seaport and logistics infrastructure, including coastal expressways. 

No localities in the central and Central Highlands region are allowed to experience negative growth, he requested, suggesting local authorities and people put forth specific action programmes in order to complete socio-economic targets at the highest level. 
Apart from promoting the private economic sector and improving the business environment, the localities should utilise the newly effective EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and new-generation free trade agreements to include major products in major global value chains. 
The Government will accompany the localities in overcoming difficulties, he pledged, assigning the Ministry of Planning and Investment to supervise their public investment disbursement.

The Government leader has also assigned the Ministry of Information and Communications to coordinate with relevant agencies to deploy the development of modern digital infrastructure, giving priority to implementation of 5G network in hi-tech and information technology zones to aid innovation, and provide guidance for localities in building and developing digital governments in tandem with with smart cities.

The ministry reported that the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of the region contracted some 3.22 per cent in the first half of this year as a result of economic activity shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the State Treasury of Việt Nam, as of June 30, public investment disbursement of the seven central localities reached only 34.2 per cent of the target, lower than the national average.  — VNS