Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi led Vietnam in foreigndirect investment (FDI) inflow in the first nine months of 2018 with more than6.26 billion USD, a 5.4-fold rise from the same period last year, according toa local official.

Some 162.7 trillion VND (over 6.95 billion USD) innon-state investment was injected into 70 projects in the capital, with localinvestment for development estimated at 219.44 trillion VND (9.38 billion USD),up 10.3 percent, Director of the municipal Department of Planning andInvestment Nguyen Manh Quyen told the 15th meeting of Hanoi’s 16th Party Committee on October 1.

The meeting, chaired by Secretary of the city’s PartyCommittee Hoang Trung Hai, was held to review socio-economic development in thefirst three quarters of the year and tasks for the remaining months.

The nine-month Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) roseby 7.17 percent as compared to 6.87 percent of the same period last year and isexpected to exceed 7.35 percent this year. Export earnings rose by 21.6 percentto 10.51 billion USD.

The city welcomed about 19.7 million visitors, including4.3 million foreigners, up 9.2 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

During the period, the city created jobs for 151,000people, up 18.8 percent year-on-year, and 84.9 percent of the local populationwere covered by health insurance.

The city has also seen progress in IT application atgovernmental offices. It has accelerated public administrative reforms byintroducing hundreds of online services.

In the final quarter, the city will focus on stimulatingconsumer demand and keeping the local market and prices under control,particularly ahead of the Tet holiday (traditional New Year of the Vietnamese).

Secretary of the city’s Party Committee Hoang Trung Haiasked local authorities to intensify urban management and promote trafficsafety in the remaining months. He also urged them to promptly devise solutionsfor issues in capital construction projects, especially in terms of landclearance and management of condominiums.

He noted the city will put into use a number of keyprojects in the next few months, including a flyover across the An Duong –Thanh Nien intersection, Duong River Surface Water Treatment Plant and Cat Linh– Ha Dong elevated railway.–VNA