The Phu Yen People’s Committee on June 12 held a seminar on the reform and development of the south-central province in three decades since it was re-established on July 1, 1989.

According to Chairman of the committee Pham Dai Duong, the seminar created a chance for scientists and experts to discuss the province’s achievements and shortcomings across fields. Their comments would contribute to guiding socio-economic growth orientations and integration vision for Phu Yen in the new context.

As heard at the function, the province annually grew 9 percent on average between 1989 and 2018, with its economic structure shifting toward having larger proportion of industry-construction-service and smaller proportion of agriculture.

During 1990-2018, Phu Yen recorded its whole society’s investment in boosting local production capacity and resources at over 126.9 trillion VND (5.45 billion USD). The province’s per capital gross regional domestic product (GRDP) hit 39.7 million VND (1,705 USD) in 2018, 11.6 times that of 1990.

Participants focused the discussion on solutions to creating breakthroughs in socio-economic development, administrative reform, investment attraction, cultural heritage protection, and ensuring defence-security.

Tran Hong Quang, head of the Vietnam Institute for Development Strategies, said Phu Yen should take advantage of its long coastal line to develop local marine economy with multi-sector and multi-functional economic zones, particularly building the Nam Phu Yen economic zone into an industrial and seaport hub of the south-central coast region and the Central Highlands.

He also recommended the province draw investment in tourism projects in Vung Ro and Xuan Dai bays and boost its capacity in aquatic farming and processing.

Vo Cao Phi, Director of the provincial Planning and Investment Department, reported that Phu Yen is working to clear business hurdles and create an open business climate to attract 4,000 firms investing its economy by 2020.