(VOVworld) – President Truong Tan Sang on Wednesday worked with Cao Bang province on socio-economic development, new rural areas and security. He praised Cao Bang for its efforts in socio-economic development, but urged for a focus on the agro-forestry and processing industries, which are local advantages so as to shift from small scale production to commodity production. President Sang said: “Priority should be given to production and poverty reduction. Socio-economic infrastructure should be undertaken first. Forests play an important role in Cao Bang’s economic structure.”

Sang also called on Cao Bang to review the potential of the mining, services and trade sectors, emphasizing the border gate economy and the building of new rural areas.

Ha Ngoc Chien, Secretary of the provincial People’s Committee, said political security has been paid special attention to, while people’s living standards have been improved. Cao Bang’s average growth rate over the past 5 years stood at more than 9%.