During a Tet visit on February 16, Mr Dung praised Hau Giang for achieving a high economic growth rate of 12.58 percent in 2009 and raising its GDP per capita of nearly VND14 million, up 17.36 percent against 2008.

He noted that the province also made progress in education, health care, culture, social affairs, science and technology, traffic safety, and national defence and security. Last year, it built more than 20,000 houses for the poor and social policy beneficiaries. 

Celebrating the Lunar New Year festival, the province presented more than 100,000 Tet gifts worth VND18.7 billion to heroic Vietnamese mothers, revolutionary veterans, heroes of armed forces, labour heroes, war invalids, sick soldiers, relatives of war martyrs, pensioners and the poor.

Mr Dung asked Hau Giang to make full use of its resources to maintain growth and ensure social security. He suggested that priority be given to implementing key projects, boosting agricultural production, training human resources, accelerating administrative reform, practising thrift and maintaining socio-political stability.

The same day, Mr Dung visited Can Tho City where he acknowledged the municipal administration’s efforts to take care of social policy beneficiaries during the Tet holiday.

He said after the nine-day holiday, the administration should encourage sectors and localities to get down to work immediately to meet targets set for 2010.