Lai Chau must initiate and focus on new growth drivers

During his working program in Lai Chau province, on the morning of November 19, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh worked with the Standing Committee of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee on the socio-economic development situation and resolved the province's recommendations to promote Lai Chau's rapid and sustainable development.

Attending the meeting were: Vice President, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thi Thu Ha; Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Hau A Lenh; Secretary of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee Giang Pao My; leaders of central ministries, branches and Lai Chau province.

Untapped potential

According to Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee, in recent times, facing difficulties and challenges due to the general situation, the Party Committee, government and people of all ethnic groups in Lai Chau province have strived and achieved positive and quite comprehensive results in all fields.

The economy grew at a fairly good rate, with the average GRDP in the 2021-2023 period increasing by 3.91% per year. The average GRDP per capita in 2023 is estimated at 47.2 million VND, an increase of 3.4 million VND compared to 2020. The economic structure has shifted positively, in which the proportion of the industrial and construction sector accounts for 38.03%; services account for 40.14%; agriculture accounts for 15.16%.

Socio-economic infrastructure has received investment attention. Currently, 99% of communes have roads that are convenient for motorbikes or cars to travel; 99.7% of schools and 94.2% of medical stations are solidly built.

Administrative reform and improvement of the investment and business environment have been promoted. The fields of culture, society, health, education and training have made much progress, and people's lives have been improved. Social security policies have been fully and promptly implemented. The poverty rate in the 2021-2023 period decreased by an average of 3.4% per year; poor districts decreased by an average of 4.7%, exceeding the target set by the Provincial Party Congress.

National defense and security were strengthened; social order and safety were maintained. The activities of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations continued to be innovated, becoming increasingly practical and effective. The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity was promoted. The work of building the Party and the political system was focused on; the leadership capacity of Party committees at all levels and the direction and administration of governments at all levels were improved.

At the meeting, Lai Chau province proposed that the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries and central branches consider removing difficulties and obstacles for socio-economic development activities in the province related to: regulations on licensing mineral exploitation, aquaculture in reservoirs, hydropower; management and licensing of hot water exploitation for tourism development; some policies related to forest development...

In particular, Lai Chau province proposed to invest in the construction of a number of inter-regional transport connection projects such as: Bao Ha (Lao Cai) - Lai Chau Expressway; the route connecting Lai Chau city with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway; investing in a road tunnel through Khau Co Pass; renovating and upgrading the route from Lai Chau city to Ma Lu Thang border gate; researching the construction of Lai Chau Airport, etc.

In addition, Lai Chau proposed supporting the development of new growth drivers; providing capital for the province to prevent and overcome natural disasters and other sources of development investment capital.

At the meeting, leaders of ministries and branches spoke to assess the socio-economic development situation of Lai Chau province; analyze the potentials and strengths and propose tasks and solutions to develop Lai Chau province; and answer the province's proposals and recommendations.

Delegates said that the most important point for Lai Chau to develop is to develop infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure to connect, stimulate growth poles and open up new development spaces such as: developing tourism associated with preserving and promoting the cultural identity of Lai Chau ethnic groups; developing border gate economy; developing high-tech industry and agriculture; developing medicinal plants, especially ginseng and exploiting and processing minerals...

At the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's regards and congratulations to the Party Committee, government and people of Lai Chau province; the General Secretary expected, believed and hoped that Lai Chau province would complete its tasks in 2023 better than in 2022.

Concluding the working session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh commended the efforts and achievements of the Party Committee, government, army and people of Lai Chau province, contributing to the overall achievements of the whole country.

Analyzing the potential and advantages of the province, the Prime Minister emphasized that Lai Chau is a province with an extremely important strategic position in terms of national defense, security and protection of national border sovereignty; large land area, sparse population; favorable for developing border trade economy; diverse mineral resources; abundant forest area, water resources, great potential for hydropower development; diverse culture, majestic natural landscape, rich tourism potential; especially Lai Chau people are rich in revolutionary traditions, solidarity, diligence, kindness, hospitality...

The Prime Minister said that with many distinct potentials, comparative advantages, outstanding opportunities and rich, diverse resources, Lai Chau province has all the unique conditions to develop rapidly, greenly and sustainably, becoming a fairly developed province, a solid border of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region and the whole country. However, besides the achievements, the socio-economic development situation of Lai Chau province still has many limitations, difficulties and challenges.

Lai Chau province's economic scale is still small; economic restructuring is not clear; infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, is still difficult; planning and resource mobilization for development investment are still limited; forest, land and mineral management are sometimes and in some places inadequate; some cultural heritages and traditional beauties are at risk of fading away; people's lives in some places are still difficult; political security, ethnic and religious issues, illegal immigration, illegal entry and exit, and drug crimes still have potential complications...

Lai Chau must develop quickly, greenly and sustainably.

The Prime Minister pointed out that with its own potential, advantages and opportunities, Lai Chau province must develop in a fast, green and sustainable direction; improve people's living standards, strive to reduce poverty, preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic groups, protect the environment, and ensure national security and defense in the province.

Stating the viewpoints and orientations in the direction and management in the coming time, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Lai Chau province to continue to thoroughly grasp and concretize the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; effectively implement the goals and tasks set out in the 5-year Plan, 10-year Strategy and Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress.

In addition, Lai Chau effectively implemented Resolution 11-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the direction of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the midland and mountainous areas of the North until 2030, with a vision to 2045; urgently completed the provincial planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. The province focused on 3 strategic breakthroughs: institutions, infrastructure and human resource training; mobilized all resources for development, including public-private partnership; improved the efficiency of attracting and using investment capital.

The head of the Government directed Lai Chau province to focus on investing in developing socio-economic infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure and tourism infrastructure, ensuring seamless connectivity within the province, between provinces in the region, between the region and the whole country and internationally; at the same time, focus on developing digital infrastructure, agricultural and rural infrastructure, educational, healthcare, cultural and sports infrastructure.

Lai Chau must focus on building and effectively promoting the province's economic driving force; prioritize the development of agricultural economy, tourism, processing and manufacturing industry, and border gate economy in the direction of Green Economy, Digital Economy, Circular Economy associated with the potential, strengths, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages of the province...

Regarding agriculture, we must shift from agricultural production thinking to agricultural economics; develop ecological, high-tech agriculture; clearly identify key crops such as medicinal herbs and industrial crops.

Regarding industry, it is necessary to develop processing, manufacturing and industries in which the province has strengths such as energy and mining.

Regarding services, we must create a breakthrough in tourism; exploit the cultural identity of ethnic groups, natural landscapes and environment of Lai Chau province; promote e-commerce and trade in border areas.

“The province must initiate and focus on new growth drivers such as: developing tourism on the Sin Ho Plateau; building the Ma Lu Thang Border Gate Economic Zone; developing Lai Chau ginseng; exploiting and processing minerals; maximizing the potential for energy development…,” the Prime Minister noted.

In addition, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Lai Chau to continue promoting administrative reforms, improving the investment and business environment; continuing to improve the rankings of indicators reflecting the investment environment; focusing on developing cultural and social fields, protecting the environment, ensuring social security, improving the material and spiritual life of people of all ethnic groups in the province.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, characteristics of ethnic groups and people of Lai Chau; actively coordinating with relevant ministries and branches to eliminate the weak points in waves and electricity; strengthening the management of land, resources, minerals, and environmental protection; protecting, developing and using forests effectively and sustainably, especially protective forests and special-use forests.

Lai Chau province must maintain security and national defense; build a solid defense zone in terms of national defense and security and a cooperative and competitive defense line in terms of economic development; build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border; ensure policies on ethnicity and religion; ensure social order and safety; attach importance to the work of building a clean and strong Party and political system; prevent and combat corruption, negativity and waste; build a streamlined, effective and efficient apparatus and a team of cadres, civil servants and public employees with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige, equal to the tasks.

"Lai Chau must creatively apply the Party and State's policies and guidelines to increase the number of cadres, civil servants and public employees at the grassroots level, in the direction of reducing cadres at the provincial level and increasing the number at the district level, and reducing cadres at the district level and increasing the number at the commune level," the Prime Minister requested.

Regarding the proposals and recommendations of Lai Chau province, based on the analysis and responses of ministries and branches, the Prime Minister clearly analyzed each proposal and recommendation of the province; stating that some of the province's proposals, especially those on institutions, have been stipulated by law or have been implemented. In particular, regarding the province's proposals related to overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, ensuring security and national defense, the Prime Minister requested ministries and branches to resolve them immediately.

Regarding recommendations and proposals related to the development of connecting infrastructure and new growth drivers of the province, the Prime Minister basically agreed to consider and resolve; assigned relevant ministries and branches to coordinate with Lai Chau province to study and develop specific projects, implement according to a roadmap, with focus and key points, suitable to the general situation and conditions; contents beyond the authority will be synthesized and submitted to competent authorities for consideration.

Earlier, on the same morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the working delegation offered flowers at the Uncle Ho Monument with the people of Lai Chau ethnic groups at the People's Square in Lai Chau city.

The Prime Minister and the Working Group expressed their infinite gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh; vowed to continue following the path chosen by the Party and Uncle Ho, promoting the glorious revolutionary tradition of the glorious Communist Party of Vietnam, striving to study and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, constantly striving to overcome difficulties and challenges, successfully carrying out the renovation process, building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam; building Lai Chau province to be increasingly prosperous and beautiful, and the people to be increasingly happy and prosperous.