Provincial Party Secretary Trinh Xuan Truong: Provincial merger is the driving force for Lao Cai to develop more comprehensively

Continuing the series of articles on provincial mergers, this time Thoi Dai interviewed Lao Cai Provincial Party Secretary Trinh Xuan Truong about a new Lao Cai after the merger with Yen Bai. It should also be added that at this time, under the assignment of the Politburo, Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong has just become Thai Nguyen Provincial Party Secretary.

-Sir, Lao Cai is now at a different level and scale, this reality also brings many expectations for the development of the province. As the head of the Lao Cai Party Committee, could you please tell us the main economic development goals that the province is aiming for after the merger?

- After the merger, Lao Cai has an area of ​​over 13,256km², ranked 8th out of 34 provinces and cities, with a population of over 1.77 million people (ranked 26th out of 34 provinces and cities), expanded potential and development space, strong regional connectivity with high competitiveness. This is both an opportunity and a driving force for us to set higher and more comprehensive economic development goals, while at the same time attaching greater responsibility to the common development of the region and the whole country.

In order to promote new growth drivers, Lao Cai determined to continue promoting the strengths of the border gate economy; effectively exploiting new growth drivers, creating a breakthrough to build Lao Cai province into a growth pole, a center connecting economic trade between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region - China in the direction of "green, harmony, identity, happiness" associated with the goal of "Preserving the border, preserving the people, preserving the forest, preserving the water, preserving the environment". By 2045, Lao Cai will become the northern development center of the country; a center connecting economic trade between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with China and Europe. Realizing the development goal of "green, harmony, identity, happiness".

Regarding economic development orientation: Forming a dynamic axis (along the Red River) , effectively exploiting two development poles (North pole, South pole); creating new, balanced, complementary, and harmonious driving forces for three economic regions (Eastern region, Western region, Central region); focusing on restructuring internal sectors towards increasing value and sustainable development of four development pillars (industry, tourism , border gate economy, agriculture and forestry).

Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong affirmed that the leadership will create a breakthrough in building Lao Cai province into a growth pole and a center for international economic trade connections.

To develop the economy, the Congress plans to set out 12 main targets for the period 2026 - 2030. In which: Total product in the area at current prices by 2030 is over 240 trillion VND; strive to achieve an average growth rate of gross domestic product (GRDP) for the period 2026 - 2030 of 10%/year or more; By 2030, GRDP per capita is 136 million VND, average income per capita is 70 million VND; strive for the proportion of digital economy to reach about 20%; By 2030, the number of tourists to the area will reach over 15 million, tourism revenue will reach about 70,000 billion VND; industrial production index will increase by an average of over 12%/year; total value of exported and imported goods through the area will reach 10 billion USD. At the same time, choose 3 breakthroughs with many solutions for sustainable economic development.

- Public opinion is still very interested in the economic advantages of Lao Cai's border area. How will this be reflected in the province's strategy after the merger, sir?

- Lao Cai is a border province with a special strategic position, located on the economic corridor of Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh, directly adjacent to Yunnan province (China). This is not only a geo-economic advantage, but also an important driving force in the province's development strategy.

In the development orientation, we identify the border gate and border area economy as one of the four main pillars. The province will focus on building the Border Gate Economic Zone to become an economic trading center of the ASEAN region with the Southwest region - China, the core of which is the Cross-Border Economic Cooperation Zone in Lao Cai ward and Bat Xat commune with multi-sector functions, trade, finance, logistics and tourism centers. Complete the smart border gate at Kim Thanh - Bac Son and Ban Vuoc - Ba Sai international border gates; upgrade the sub-border gates to become national border gates. Research and build a new generation free trade zone. Invest in synchronous construction of border trade infrastructure, trade zones, logistics centers in the Border Gate Economic Zone, creating favorable conditions for import and export activities, border trade and logistics services.

At the same time, Lao Cai will attract investment to build logistics centers along the Red River's dynamic axis, develop urban areas and services along the high-speed railway (TOD). However, the economic development of Lao Cai's border area cannot be separated from the national defense - security and foreign affairs factors. We are determined to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developed border, linking economic development with maintaining political security, social order and "people's hearts and minds".

The border advantage not only brings opportunities for trade, logistics or tourism, but also affirms the role of Lao Cai as the gateway to international integration of the whole country, the center of trade between Vietnam - ASEAN - China, and towards expanding to Europe. This will be an important driving force for Lao Cai to develop rapidly and sustainably and affirm the position of the region's growth pole.

-High expectations will of course come with pressure, sir. Overall, what will be the biggest difficulties of Lao Cai that you and the Provincial Party Standing Committee have determined to focus on solving?

- Through summarizing the practical experience of the 2020-2025 term, it shows that the province is currently facing the most difficulties that need to be focused on and resolved in the coming time, specifically:

Economic growth is not really sustainable; the scale of the economy is still small. The socio-economic infrastructure has not met the development requirements. The restructuring of the industrial sector is still slow, industrial production still faces many difficulties. The development of border economic zones, services, and tourism is not commensurate with the potential and advantages. Investment attraction is still limited. The implementation of some large projects in the province is still slow. There is a lack of large-scale enterprises with strong potential to lead and pioneer in innovation and creativity. The proportion of e-commerce is low; The quality of comprehensive education is still limited; high-quality human resources are still lacking; job creation and career conversion for rural workers are not really effective. Primary health care for people at the grassroots level still has many shortcomings. Poverty reduction is not really sustainable, the lives of a part of the people in remote areas, areas with many ethnic minorities still have many difficulties; The gap between rich and poor tends to increase.

These are also the difficulties and challenges that the draft Political Report presented to the 1st Congress of Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee, term 2025-2030, has proposed, and at the same time concretized into goals, tasks, and solutions in each field to direct implementation in the term 2025-2030. In the immediate future, we will focus on directing strongly and working directly with sectors and localities to remove difficulties and obstacles for the grassroots.

- After merging and operating the government according to the new model, the Central Government always determined that the quality of staff would be the decisive factor for success. Regarding this issue in Lao Cai, how did you establish an investment plan for the implementation team to be able to handle the very high requirements in the new situation?

- As mentioned above, after the merger and operating the government under the new model, Lao Cai as well as other localities in the country encountered some difficulties related to personnel work. Currently, the positions that are still lacking are mainly in specialized fields such as information technology, health, education, finance, construction, and land management. The capacity of the staff is not uniform, especially those who have just taken on the task, are still confused, and have not caught up with the new job requirements, which are more complicated than before.

Preparing for the new term with strategic goals, Lao Cai province identified the building of a cadre team as one of the three breakthroughs in implementing the province's political tasks in the 2025-2030 term. Therefore, a number of solutions on cadre work have been established and implemented in the new situation, namely:

- Develop a plan to rotate cadres, especially provincial-level cadres to the grassroots level, so that each comrade can both practice political mettle, hone practical skills, and foster innovative and creative thinking right from the grassroots level.

- Focus on planning and creating human resources, developing long-term training and development plans, with priority given to young cadres, female cadres, and cadres from ethnic minorities - factors that promise to bring new vitality to the grassroots apparatus; ensure the principle of "in, out, up, down" in cadre work.

- Pay attention to training, fostering, and attracting virtuous, talented, dedicated cadres who dare to think, dare to do, dare to act for the common good; focus on leadership, management, and digital transformation skills, etc. Pay special attention to discovering and training the next generation of cadres right from the grassroots, especially among young party members and union cadres, to ensure continuity and sustainability in cadre work. Strengthen inspection and supervision work, both to support and remove difficulties and to ensure that all initiatives and actions closely follow policies and guidelines.

- Focus on innovating the work of evaluating cadres in a consistent, continuous, multi-dimensional manner, based on specific criteria and practical products, linked with surveys and publicizing results. Build a mechanism to encourage innovation, arouse the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, promptly praising and rewarding groups and individuals with good practices and good results.

- Implementing a leadership method close to the people; maintaining weekly and monthly working models with the people. Not just propaganda and mobilization, these models will become a direct and lively leadership method, creating real interaction between the Party organization, Party members and the People. Thereby, it will contribute to strengthening the People's trust in the Party, at the same time arousing and promoting the main role of the People in building new rural areas and developing the local socio-economy.

-As expected, there are only about 4 months left until the 14th National Party Congress takes place. How do you believe in the future of Lao Cai in particular when the country enters a new era as General Secretary To Lam wishes?

-The 1st Congress of Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee, term 2025-2030 is the clearest expression of the belief, will and aspiration of cadres, party members and people of all ethnic groups in Lao Cai province to accompany the country into a new era - the era of national growth, for a Vietnam with rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, prosperity and happiness.

We believe that under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, with the tradition of solidarity, promoting the achieved results, determination to overcome difficulties, effectively exploiting potentials and advantages, I believe that the Provincial Party Committee will certainly realize the goal of "Building a clean and strong Party and political system; promoting the strength of great national unity; creating a breakthrough in building Lao Cai province into a growth pole, a center for international economic trade connections, developing in a green, harmonious, unique and happy direction".

-Thank you very much!

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/bi-thu-tinh-uy-trinh-xuan-truong-sap-nhap-tinh-la-dong-luc-de-lao-cai-phat-trien-toan-dien-hon-216778.html