The Centre for Bio-technology Research and Application complex now underconstruction in southern Dong Nai Province is expected to be oneof the leading centres of its kind in Southeast Asia , according toNguyen Quan, deputy minister of Science and Technology.

Expected to be completed within the decade, the 227-ha complex is being built in Xuan Duong Commune in Cam My district.

The building cost of 1 trillion VND (50 million USD) is sourced from the province's budget and investors.

The centre is about 10 kilometres from HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau GiayHighway and Long Thanh International Airport , which iscurrently being built, and 15 kilometres from Ba Ria – Vung Tauprovince.

The province is seeking more investors for the complex, according to the project management board.

From 2010 – 2015, infrastructure such as roads, telecommunications,electricity supply, administrative areas and dormitories will be built.

From 2015 – 2020, state-of-the-art facilities for biotech research andapplication in agriculture, food, medicine and environment will bebuilt.

The centre will work with local and internationalorganisations to develop human resources as well as biotechnologyresearch and exchange in the province.

In addition, in aneffort to save money, the centre plans to cooperate with other biotechcentres to prevent duplication of similar work or research.

It plans to create linkages among various hi-tech zones fromuniversities and institutes in and outside the province and othercountries.

In recent years, Dong Nai province conductedbiotech research and applied those findings to the fields ofagriculture, forestry and aquaculture./.