Lai Chau – During a working session with the Party Committee of Lai Chau province on November 19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need for the northern mountainous province to aim for rapid, green, and sustainable growth. He acknowledged the significant achievements of Lai Chau, noting its potential in hydropower development, tourism, and its strategic role in national defense and security.
However, the Prime Minister pointed out that the province’s growth has not fully tapped its potential. He remarked that Lai Chau’s economic scale remains modest, infrastructure development is lacking, and living conditions in some localities are challenging. To address these issues, Chinh urged the province to focus on improving living standards, accelerating poverty reduction, preserving and promoting the cultural values of local ethnic minority groups, protecting the environment, and ensuring defense and security.
According to Vietnam News Agency, between 2021 and 2023, Lai Chau recorded an average annual gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of 3.91%, and a per capita income of 47.2 million VND (approximately 1,945 USD). The province has seen a strong transformation in its economic structure, with significant contributions from the industry-construction sector and services. Infrastructure development has seen major improvements, and social welfare policies have been implemented effectively.
The poverty rate in Lai Chau has decreased by an average of 3.4% per year during this period, with the rate of poor districts falling by an average of 4.7%, surpassing the targets set by the provincial Party Congress.
In his directive, PM Chinh emphasized the need for Lai Chau to focus on three strategic breakthroughs: institutional development, infrastructure, and human resources. He called for enhanced investment attraction and prioritized development in agriculture, tourism, the manufacturing-processing industry, and border economy, adhering to a digital, green, and circular economic model.
Lai Chau’s leaders presented several proposals related to mining, aquatic farming, forest development, and transport during the session. On the same day, PM Chinh paid homage at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh with people from ethnic groups in Lai Chau city. He also visited teachers and students at Pa Tan elementary school for ethnic minority students in Sin Ho district, officials and soldiers at the Hoi Luong border station in Phong Tho, and toured the Ma Lu Thang international border gate on November 18.