"Hanoi is one of the two leading areasin the country in terms of stabilising prices and taking Vietnamesegoods to rural areas, but its industrial production and exports arefalling. For this reason, practical and specific solutions are necessaryto boost growth in these areas,” Thoa was quoted at a recent meetingwith the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade by the ministry'sVietnam Economic Times as saying.
The industry and trade sectorin Hanoi maintained a stable growth rate in the first two months of thisyear, with the index of industrial production (IIP) growing by 2.8percent, 283 trillion VND (13.47 billion USD) worth of sales and servicerevenues, and 1.668 billion USD worth of export earnings.
Seniorofficials from the ministry’s departments said that despite efforts,the city’s industrial production and exports increased less than thecountry’s average growth.
Director of the municipal departmentLe Hong Thang said that the city’s industrial production will not growrapidly given the current difficulties. Moreover, most major industrialproduction plants have been moved to other provinces. It is alsodifficult to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in industrialproduction due to too high land lease prices and other expenses.
Thangasked the ministry to help the city build the Hanoi South SupportingIndustry Park (HANSSIP) covering 640 hectares in Dai Xuyen commune, PhuXuyen district, with a vision to expand to 2,000 hectares in thesouthern gateway.
It is expected to be the first large-scaleurban and supporting industry park in Vietnam and an impetus for thecapital’s industry and exports to grow robustly in the years to come.
Representatives from the ministry’s departments gave advice in terms of state administration of industry and trade.
ExportImport Management Department Deputy Director Phan Thi Dieu Ha suggestedHanoi promote exports focusing on high-tech products such as electricand electronic appliances to match its high technology direction.
DeputyMinister Thoa said that the city needs to identify sound directions forindustrial development and choose development areas.
She saidthat Vinh Phuc province for example has chosen to only develop hightechnology. She strongly recommended that Hanoi choose key industrialproducts and intensively invest in them in order to generate highefficiency.
As for handicrafts and craft villages, the cityshould widely develop the programme to combine craft villages withtourism. However, Thoa underlined the need to manage the quality ofproducts made in craft villages, while at the same time encourage buyersand visitors to craft villages.
She spoke highly of the city’strade promotion activities, including inviting more than 400 foreignimporters to exhibitions and fairs in Hanoi, thus providingopportunities for Vietnamese businesses directly meet them.
Shealso recognised the city’s efforts to strengthen state management in2013 by drawing up 30 legal documents, while emphasising the need toseriously implement them.
Hanoi’s industry and trade sectorexpected to increase industrial production by more than 8 percent,retail sales up by 20 percent, and export revenues up by 6-7 percent in2014.-VNA