Hanoi (VNA) - The northern provinceof Quang Ninh is intensifying efforts to meet its socio-economic targets andkeep its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth in the double digitsthis year.

It posted GRDP growth of 6.5 percent in thefirst nine months despite the economic fallout from COVID-19. But the figure isstill down some 3.5 percent compared to the plan and is 5 percent lower than inthe same period last year.

To achieve double-digit growth this year andcreate momentum for the first year of implementing the resolution from theprovince’s 15th Party Congress and also economic recovery plans in 2021, QuangNinh must post year-on-year GRDP growth of 19 percent - the highest ever -during the final quarter of 2020. 

It will be a challenging task for the coastalprovince, which depends significantly on tourism but has experienced a sharpdecline in foreign tourist arrivals.

Keeping in mind Decision No 01-KL/TU from theprovincial Party Committee on key tasks for the fourth quarter of this year,the provincial People’s Committee issued a plan on October 14 directing theimplementation of a number of measures to revive and develop production andbusiness, ensure social welfare, and reach the province’s GRDP goals for theremaining months and for 2020 as a whole.

The plan asks every governmental department andagency and senior officials to review socio-economic indicators with room forgrowth and mobilise resources to boost development in each sector.

It recommended that the agriculture, forestry,and fisheries sector comprehensively develop horticulture and animal husbandry,create supply chains, seek markets for fisheries products with highinventories, and organise additional trade fairs and promotional events forlocal agricultural products.

Meanwhile, the tourism sector has been urged totake drastic measures to stimulate travel demand and reach the target ofwelcoming 3 million arrivals from October to December. 

The sector was also asked to assist in customsclearance, help enterprises tackle difficulties, beef up foreign trade, andhold more festivals and cultural and sporting events. A campaign encouraginglocal people to prioritise goods and services from the province will also belaunched.

With industry and construction seen as the keysector driving GRDP growth, Quang Ninh plans to focus efforts on removingbarriers facing the coal and mining sub-sectors and providing all possible conditionsfor the development of manufacturing and processing, such as the production ofwheat flour, vegetable oil, textiles and garments, electronics, and mechanics.It will also utilise the upcoming dry season to fast-track constructionprojects and kick-start investment plans.

The northern province will also continueimproving its business climate, smooth the way for the development of theprivate sector, and support enterprises, while maintaining its high rankings inthe Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), the Public Administration Reform(PAR) Index, and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services(SIPAS), while climbing up the Provincial Governance and Public AdministrationPerformance Index (PAPI).

The province aims to collect more than 48trillion VND (2.06 billion USD) in State budget revenue this year.

Quang Ninh is viewed as a strategicallyimportant locality in northern Vietnam that forms part of the northern economicgrowth triangle of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh.

It has posted high and sustainable growth overthe last five years, with average annual growth standing at 10.7 percent.

It topped the PCI for the third year in a row in2019 and led the country in the PAR Index for three consecutive years, in 2017,2018, and 2019. The province has also been among the best performers in theSIPAS for many years and reached the top in 2019.

Quang Ninh has also made great strides forwardin improving governance and public administration capacity, moving from 62ndplace in 2016 to third last year in the PAPI./.