President Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

He told a working session with Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee on Friday: “The province must promote the heroic "Dong Khoi" (uprising) spirit, self-reliance, the aspiration to rise up of the Ben Tre people in economic development and locals’ traditional and cultural values. Ben Tre is the revolutionary, heroic land, where we need a change in direction and administration, to be closer to the people, and have a more specific and effective revolutionary movement."

"Ben Tre must be in the top tier of the Mekong Delta. The provinces in the region have grown strongly. Ben Tre needs to be "impatient" and have a strong desire to rise up. Why is the neighboring province of Soc Trang inhabited by many ethnic minorities the largest shrimp producing locality in the Mekong Delta today? Aspiration is very important. We develop fast but sustainably.”

President Phuc asked the province to effectively implement the Resolution on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta to adapt to climate change and other strategies, ensure harmonious socio-economic development, protect the environment and improve people's quality of life. Attention should be paid to expanding development space to the East, developing coastal infrastructure, marine economic sectors, fisheries, clean energy, urban areas and tourism.

President Phuc suggested that Ben Tre call for investment in developing clean energy such as wind, solar, and biomass and pharmaceutical-biomedical industry and large-scale industrial production projects that do not pollute the environment.