HANOI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the construction of a strategic petroleum reserve site in the Nghi Son area in the central province of Thanh Hoa, local daily Tuoi Tre reported Thursday.
The directive was issued while he chaired a meeting of the energy security task force to discuss measures in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade was instructed to urgently work with foreign partners to promptly begin construction of the facility, following the prime minister's recent discussions with leaders of several countries on the matter, the report said.
The ministry was also tasked with ensuring a sufficient supply of imported crude oil, monitoring and forecasting the fuel market, and updating supply scenarios for adverse situations.
