After visiting the Tinh Bien border gate economic zone, Mr Hai called on border post 933 and Long Binh national border gate in An Phu District. He praised their efforts to maintain peace and friendly relations with neighbouring provinces as well as combat smuggling.

While working with An Giang provincial leaders, Mr Hai highly underlined the progress the province has made in socio-economic development. He said that the main issues of import-export activities, anti-smuggling measures, the prevention of trade fraud, economic development, and local people’s living standards have all recorded significant results. The import-export value through the five border gates in Vinh Xuong, Tinh Bien, Khanh Binh, Vinh Hoi Dong and Bac Dai districts in the first five months of this year reached US$1 billion.

However, deputy Prime Minister Hai said that smuggling is still rife and local people’s living conditions are still difficult. In addition, the construction industry, and trade and services in the border gate economic zones are developing too slowly. Therefore, in the future, the province must use every resource to combat smuggling, especially cigarettes and sugar. The province should call for investment from public sources and promote private resources to develop the infrastructure, Mr Hai said.

Mr Hai also agreed to consider 9 petitions submitted by the province.