PM Chính visits a booth showcasing local produce of the Red River region on the sidelines of the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

QUẢNG NINH — A government conference was held in the northern province of Quảng Ninh on Sunday to discuss development plans for the Red River region in 2030, with GRDP per capita expected to reach VNĐ274 million (US$11,600).

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, was the sixth of its kind held by the Government to discuss measures and directions to implement the resolutions to develop six regions of Việt Nam.

The Red River region comprises of 11 provinces and cities: Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Quảng Ninh, Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Ninh, Hải Dương, Hưng Yên, Thái Bình, Hà Nam, Nam Định, and Ninh Bình. This is considered the northern gateway that connects Việt Nam with ASEAN and important region for economic and trade development with China.

At the meeting, Minister of Investment and Planning Nguyễn Chí Dũng announced a resolution that details 21 socio-economic and environmental indicators, 10 sets of key tasks and solutions, 36 specific tasks and 20 infrastructure investment projects.

The Government has set the target to have GRDP growth of the region at 9 per cent a year, of which the construction and industry sector is still the pillar of the economy, contributing 47 per cent to the growth; the service sector contributes 41 per cent and the agriculture-forestry-fishery sector contributes 3.5 per cent.

GRDP per capita is expected to reach VNĐ274 million (US$11,600) and the rate of trained labourers with qualification certificates is from 48 to 52 per cent.

At the meeting, delegates agreed that it is important to develop the transport infrastructure in a synchronous and modern way to increase regional and international linkages.

The region is also set to become the country’s leading science-technology and innovation centre.

The PM noted that the Red River region holds strategic importance in politics, economy, and culture and is a northern gateway that connects the country with ASEAN.

Stressing that the development of the region is yet to be compatible with its potentials, the PM said that it is crucial to have proper policies and investment as well as coordination between ministries and localities.

He said the ministries, agencies and 11 localities in the region must immediately develop specific action plans and programmes to implement Resolution 30 of the Politburo and the Action Plan of the Government.

Regarding investment, PM Chính requested the localities to improve the infrastructure, simplify administrative procedures, fine-tune the legal frameworks, as well as have mechanisms to attract investment in priority areas while open to opinions of investors based on harmonious interest and sharing of risk and challenges.

On the sidelines of the conference, planning for Quảng Ninh Province in the 2021-30 period with the vision to 2050 and the planning of Hạ Long City to 2040 were also announced.

Quảng Ninh is set to have GRDP growth rate at 10 per cent a year, and GRDP per capita of $19,000-20,000 a year in the period. By 2050, Quảng Ninh will become a modern industrial and service province and an urban area of regional and international scale.

Also during the conference, many cooperation and funding agreements between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and its partners were signed with total capital of $2.6 billion to be invested in the region.

Investment certificates and Memorandums of Understanding between localities in the region and businesses and partners were also signed with total capital of VNĐ171 trillion. — VNS