PM Hails Efforts At Major Steel Plant Construction Launch

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (middle) attends the ceremony to start a US$15 billion construction project of the Taiwan-invested Formosa in central Ha Tinh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Duc Tam

HA NOI (VNS) Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday attended a ceremony to start construction on the Ha Tinh Formosa steel plant in the Vung Ang economic zone in Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh.

The US$15billion project is one of the largest by the Formosa group of Taiwan (China) in the Vung Ang economic zone.

The project covers 3,300ha and includes a steel metallurgy mill, a seaport capable of receiving 300,000-tonne ships and a 2,100 megawatt thermal electricity plant. It is expected to produce 7 million tonnes of steel ingots in phase one.

Addressing the event, Dung hailed Formosa's efforts in implementing facilities on time and affirmed that the Government would create favourable conditions for international investors to do long-term business in Viet Nam, including the Formosa group.

The same day, Dung inspected the construction of Vung Ang 1 thermal electricity plant in the Vung Ang economic zone.

Earlier on Saturday, Dung visited central Nghe An province and urged its leaders to create an attractive investment environment to make the most of its potential.

He said Nghe An should pay attention to public administration reforms, eliminate impediment to growth, increase the efficiency of commerce and tourism promotion activities and expand its export market. Nghe An's comparative advantages included agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and construction material processing.

During the meeting, provincial People's Committee Chairman Ho Duc Phuoc briefed Dung on what the province had done this year. He said GDP was estimated at 6.63 per cent, the average annual income per capita was VND20 million (over $950) and 15,000 households had been lifted out of poverty.

Despite its performance, Nghe An was still facing challenges it needed to work on, including weak infrastructure, high population growth rate and rampant drug addiction, he said.

Phuoc said that for the coming year, it aimed to increase GDP to 6.5-7.5 per cent, reduce poverty to under 12.5 per cent and generate jobs for 37,000 people.

Dung said the province should continue to develop education and the healthcare system and maintain public order. Special attention should go to poverty reduction in the western part of the province.

As part of the working tour, Dung paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh by offering flowers and incense at Kim Lien Memorial Site. He also visited Military Zone 4. — VNS