An old villa in Hanoi

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked Hanoi to stop demolishing old villas and constructing high-rise buildings in the center of the capital city.

Hanoi is mapping out a plan to modernize the city and build a new administration center. The plan is set to be submitted to the National Assembly in May 2010.

Dung said the capital city has to improve infrastructure but at the same time it must preserve cultural values in its rural areas. The balance between urban and rural development must be maintained, he stressed.

Source: VNA