Farmers harvest shrimp in Vân Khánh Đông Commune, An Minh District, the southern province of Kiên Giang. Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng has asked the province to fully tap its potential and strengths in agriculture. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Huy Hải

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng has asked authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang to fully tap its potential and strengths, especially in agriculture and tourism, in order to perform its tasks and orientations set for 2019. 
During a meeting with leaders of the province on Sunday, Trọng requested representatives from relevant ministries, sectors and agencies to discuss and affirm prominent achievements made by Kiên Giang, and analyse potential and advantages as well as development  orientations, towards fostering the province’s rapid and stronger development.
He highlighted the need to focus on promoting comprehensive development, saying that socio-economic development should be at the centre, Party building should be a key task and culture should be the spiritual foundation of society. 
Local authorities were also requested to focus on maintaining defence and security and maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries.
The top leader asked for strategic orientations for each sector, saying they were necessary to devise policies on investment attraction, goods consumption, infrastructure development and human resources training. 
Reports at the meeting showed that the provincial Party Committee always attached importance to political and ideological education for officials and Party members, and strictly implementing resolutions and directives of the Party Central Committee.
The province’s economy has recorded stable growth with its GDP hitting over VNĐ62.3 trillion (US$2.68 billion) in 2018, 1.23 times higher than that of 2015. The average GDP growth in 2016-18 stood at 7.13 per cent, while per capita income increased from $1,664 in 2015 to $2,094 in 2018. Attention was also paid to new-style rural area development, helping create better living conditions for local people.
Kiên Giang has completed the restructuring of State-owned enterprises, while it has seen strong development of private firms. The province is home to 8,770 businesses, up 1.23 times compared to the figure in 2015, with total capital of over VNĐ91.7 trillion ($3.95 billion).
The sea-based economy accounts for 73.82 per cent of the province's GDP. The service sector grows at an average rate of 11 per cent per annum; and its export turnover surges 17.61 per cent per year. 
Tourism has become a spearhead economic sector for the province, with its revenue reaching over VNĐ11 trillion ($474.5 million) a year, an average increase of 23.9 per cent. 
Provincial leaders asked the Politburo for directions on the establishment of Phú Quốc City and resolutions on a number of specific policies for Phú Quốc, as well as approve the proposal to set up Thổ Châu Island District.
Trọng noted the recommendations made by local authorities, saying it was necessary to have master plans and and balanced resources for detail examinations of their proposals. 
On Saturday, the Party and State leader visited and worked at a number of industrial and agricultural production establishments in Kiên Giang. 
He urged the firms to work hard in order to take full advantage of their potential and strengths to further boost development, reminding them to enhance the application of hi-technologies in their production and business activities. — VNS