An Giang Province Promotes International Integration

In 2005 Vietnam entered its final stage for negotiations on its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). While the State is exerting efforts to make reforms of macroeconomic policies to meet the requirements of the organisation, for provinces and cities, efforts to increase the competitiveness of their strategic commodities and perfect their investment environment are basic solutions. An Giang province is striving for this target. 

 

To increase the competitiveness of strategic commodities, An Giang is taking measures to improve the quality of its commodities in accordance with the international standard, alongside the building of trademarks for spearhead products. Apart from its famous tra and basa catfish, the province will concentrate on some other specialties originated from the province, including Phu Tan sticky rice and Bay Nui fragrant rice, and handicrafts, including Tan Chau brocade and silk and fine arts, as well as processed food and foodstuff, wine and frozen fruit and vegetables.

 

For improving the quality of products, in particular seafood, food and foodstuff for export, in recent years, An Giang province has had concrete measures. Accordingly, seafood farmers in An Giang province have been trained on knowledge about the development of safe aquaculture farms, applying the SQF (Safe Quality Food) standard to gain a sustainable development with the protection of environmental hygiene and stabilisation of product quality in accordance with the international standard. In cultivation, An Giang is reorganising its agricultural production in order to create large food and foodstuff production areas with stability in both quality and quantity.

 

The formation of farm-produce and seafood processing plants has helped increase the added value of these products while contributing to the development of the local industrial sector and job creation for local people.

 

In particular, the formation of co-operatives and farms in the form of enterprises will enable local farmers to concentrate their strength on building plants. Processing plants for seafood, in particular, will help create material supply areas. This will help create a close production and processing cycle on a large scale, which, in turn, will attract attention from major distributors.

An Giang’s other advantages can be seen in tourism and trade. The waterway linking An Giang and Cambodia has become an attractive tour for visitors. It has also become a major transportation route for enterprises to enter Cambodia and other ASEAN countries. An Giang, therefore, are concentrating its investment capital on developing border gate economic zones to attract investors. It is promoting the socialisation of tourism for luring the involvement of all economic sectors in developing the non-smoke industry.

 

The province’s average GDP growth rate in the 2001-2005 period is estimated at 9.2 per cent per annum. Based on such achievement, An Giang has favourable conditions to pursue its target in its integration into the regional and global economies.
Hoa Binh