Samsung begins construction of 3.2 bn USD complex in Thai Nguyen Photo: VNA Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on March 25 attended a ceremony of the Samsung group to begin construction of a 3.2 billion USD high-tech complex in the northern province of Thai Nguyen. The complex, which will house Samsung’s world largest mobile phone factory, is expected to offer jobs for tens of thousands of local people and contribute tens of billions of USD to the country’s annual export turnover while boosting the development of electronic supporting industry in the northern region of Vietnam . Addressing the ceremony, Dung said the Vietnamese Government applauded Samsung’s decision to expand operation in Vietnam, adding that it will contribute to the strategic partnership cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK. The leader spoke highly of RoK businesses’ contributions to Vietnam’s economic development and pledged to create favourable conditions for them and other foreign businesses to operate in Vietnam on the basis of friendship, cooperation and equality, and for mutual benefits. The same day, the Prime Minister held a working session with the province’s key leaders, where he urged Thai Nguyen province to bring into full play its potential and advantages in agro-forestry and industry for all-round development. Dung affirmed the Government’s policy of creating the best possible conditions for Thai Nguyen to develop into an economic, political, cultural and educational centre in the northern midland and mountainous region. Speaking of the province’s famous specialty of tea trees, the leader said Thai Nguyen should develop industrially-scale processing and market for this product, which is designed as the key for poverty reduction in the province. He also said Thai Nguyen still has a lot to do in improving investment environment, reforming administrative procedures and attracting high-tech projects. Last year, the province recorded an economic growth rate of 7.2 percent, generated jobs for 22,600 people and reduced the percentage of poor households by 2.93 percent. In the province’s fight against poverty, tea tree has proven itself as a spearhead with a total area of 18,500 hectares.-VNA