He praised the provincial Party Committee, administration and people for their efforts to achieve high economic growth and maintain social stability despite the adverse impact of the global economic recession.

In 2009, Bac Lieu fulfilled major socio-economic targets, with GDP increasing by 10.68 percent and the poverty rate falling to below 10 percent. Notably, it had bumper rice and shrimp harvests thanks to high prices of farm products in the market.

Mr Hai asked the province to introduce solutions to develop the local economy in the first months of 2010, increase the quality of its major exports, especially seafood, and protect the environment.

He urged Bac Lieu to increase the capacity building of local administrations, speed up administrative reform, and take care of social welfare policy beneficiaries.   

He visited and presented Tet gifts to a number of war veterans, heroic Vietnamese mothers and the poor in the province.