The PM highlighted Bac Ninh’s achievements and pointed out its weaknesses and shortcomings during the last term. He asked the province to mobilise social resources and take advantage of its potential to boost industrialisation and modernisation, improve the quality of educational and healthcare services, and ensure social security and defense.

He added that Bac Ninh should also focus on building the Party and political system, improving the leadership of the Party, and pursuing the campaign to follow Uncle Ho’s moral example.

According to a political report presented at the congress, Bac Ninh provincial Party Committee and its people have joined hands to overcome difficulties. Bac Ninh’s GDP saw a year-on-year growth of 15.1 percent, and its per capita income reached US$1,800, 50 percent higher than the country’s average income.

There are still problems slowing economic growth, however, such as an underdeveloped support industry. Environmental problems, especially in industrial zones and craft villages, have not been successfully dealt with.

The congress reviewed implementation of resolutions from the previous congress and agreed on plans for the next term from 2010 to 2015. They also gave opinions for draft documents on the upcoming 11^th National Party Congress.

** On the same day, 350 delegates representing 45,000 party members in Dong Nai province attended the 9^th Congress of the Dong Nai provincial Party Committee.

According to the congress’s political report, Dong Nai has had some significant achievements: GDP has been growing 13.2 percent a year and per capita income has reached VND29.6 million (US$1,500), twice what it was in 2005.

Dong Nai now has 29 industrial parks and 43 industrial clusters. In the last five years the province attracted more than US$11 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI). Its export turnover is projected to reach US$7 billion this year, accounting for 10 percent of the country’s total.

Addressing the congress, Party Politburo member Ho Duc Viet, who is also Chairman of the Party’s Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation, highlighted Dong Nai’s achievements and urged the province to take advantage of its potential to boost industrilisation and modernisation.

** Also on September 23, the Party Committee Congresses of Lai Chau and Nam Dinh officially opened, attended by State and Party leaders, representatives from Ministries and other provinces, and delegates representing Party members in the two provinces.