Deputy PM Trong, who is also head of the Steering Committee for the northwestern region, made the request during his working visit to Lang Son province on January 5.

The province should make the best use of its minerals source to spur economic development, the government leader said, advising the locality to increase the industrial-service proportion in its economic structure.

He also asked the border locality to focus on addressing socio-political problems, including drug addiction, prostitution, the trafficking of women and children and poverty reduction to further improve the living condition of local people.

Lang Son posted a GDP growth rate of 11.58% in 2007 and targets a GDP growth rate of 12-12.5% in 2008. However, it is still one of the country’s poor provinces. (VNA)