It aims to further raise theshare of industry and trade-services in the economy to 48.8 percent and47.9 percent, respectively, reducing agriculture’s share to only 3.3percent, according to Man.
The city willalso work towards becoming the socio-economic, education-training,science-technology, health, culture, and sports centre, as well as thekey domestic and international transport connection, of the Mekong Deltaregion, he added.
Chairman of the city’sPeople’s Committee Le Hung Dung said in order to realise the goals,the city will focus on measures for intensive development.
It will improve its investment climate to attract more domestic andinternational funding while expanding its connection with Ho Chi MinhCity and other localities and organising high calibre human resourcestraining to further its international integration, Dung said.
Priority will be given to trade promotion activities to expand its consumption market both locally and internationally.
Over the past 15 years, the city has made significant achievements in socio-economic development.
The production value of industry, trade and agro-fishery reached181.5 trillion VND (8.4 billion USD) last year, a ten-fold increase from2000, raising the annual income per capita to 3,298 USD; the highestlevel in the Mekong Delta region, according to Dung.
Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade NguyenMinh Toai said Can Tho has worked with Ho Chi Minh City and otherregional localities to develop infrastructure facilities and leadingsectors, including agro-aquatic product processing, garment-textiles,footwear, handicrafts, mechanics, and advanced technology electronics.
As a result, total investment capital of thecity exceeded 38.5 trillion VND (1.78 billion USD) with 868 million USDin foreign capital, 166 times that of 15 years ago. Total export valuesfrom the city hit 1.35 billion USD, Toai said.
The substantial economic growth has fuelled improvements in education,healthcare facilities, and other social services, reducing the localpoverty rate to 2.8 percent, down from 11 percent in 2000.-VNA