This is an impressive figure compared to the national average of 5.3 percent, Mr Hai said during a pre lunar New Year visit to Soc Trang on February 7. 

As a result, its GDP per capita income hit US$881 while its economic restructuring made remarkable progress. Last year, the province harvested a total of 1.78 million tonnes of rice, up 4.7 percent over its target.

Despite economic difficulties, Soc Trang paid special attention to social welfare, especially for the poor and Khmer ethnic people, developed infrastructure for production and reduced the poverty rate to 11.8 percent.

Thousands of poor households were provided with production and residential land, capital, livestock and saplings. Thanks to these policies, more than 11,000 households escaped poverty and more than 20,000 jobs were created.

Mr Hai suggested that Soc Trang organise investment conferences to attract domestic and foreign businesses and draw up a list of priority investment projects for production and social welfare.

He answered the provincial leaders’ queries relating to the construction of Long Phu 1, 2, & 3 thermal power plants and a deep water seaport to facilitate the transport of fuel for these plants upon completion.

He asked the province to maintain security and order during the nine-day Tet festival, which begins on February 13.