Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged Phu Quoc islanddistrict in southern Kien Giang province to bring into play itsadvantages and potential to develop the maritime economy and tourism.

The Deputy PM made the call when he announced thePrime Minister’s decision recognising Phu Quoc as a second-tier city ata November 15 ceremony in the island district.

He said the local authorities to pay attention to building agreen-clean-beautiful-friendly city while preserving the naturalenvironment to keep the reputation as the Pearl Island.

Vietnam’s rating system classifies cities into tiers based onpolitical, economic and demographic factors representing their currentstage of development.

The island’spromotion follows its recent transport and tourism infrastructuredevelopment. The local government has made strides in urban planning,consolidating more than 70 percent of urban housing, and constructing a60.72km transport network. An international airport and a seaporthave been put into operation, and the district has been linked to thenational power grid by an undersea cable line.

Located on the Vienam-Cambodia-Thailand marine economic corridor, PhuQuoc island district covers more than 593sq.km with a population ofover 100,000. It comprises 27 islands with Phu Quoc being the largestand dubbed the Pearl Island.

Its average annual economic growth is 25 percent with per capita income reaching 3,416 USD per year.

Kien Giang is also working on procedures to recognise Phu Quoc Islanda provincially-run city in the time to come, which is a step in turningthe island district into a special economic-administrative zone.

In the long term, the island district is envisioned to become aneconomic and political hub, a crucial frontier in national defence andsecurity, and a crucial transit point for international travelers.-VNA