Lang Son’s planning as a bridge connecting the economies of Vietnam – ASEAN, China, and Europe

The event was attended by approximately 450 delegates, including representatives from central agencies; diplomatic missions; several international organizations; and neighboring provinces. Several investors, businesses, and organizations from the province, within the country, and abroad were also present, as well as representatives from units participating in the development of the Lạng Sơn provincial plan.

Lạng Sơn holds a strategically important position in terms of politics, economics, culture, national defense, security, and diplomacy. In recent years, the province has effectively implemented programs for socio-economic development, national defense and security, and investment attraction. In order to continue leveraging the potential advantages of a border province for rapid and sustainable development, the provincial planning work has been carried out with great effort and dedication by all levels and sectors of the province.

On June 3, 2020, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 748/QĐ-TTg, approving the task of developing the Lạng Sơn provincial plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050. It was determined that the provincial planning process must be consistent and synchronized with the goals and orientations of the 10-year socio-economic development strategy for the 2021-2030 period and the five-year socio-economic development plan for the 2021-2025 period of the entire country.

After the Prime Minister approved the provincial planning task, Lạng Sơn province focused on completing the dossier for the provincial plan. On March 19, 2024, the Lạng Sơn Provincial Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 236/QĐ-TTg. This was an important event in the development roadmap for Lạng Sơn province, providing a general development framework while still incorporating development plans for each region, sector, and industry.

The planning goal is to develop Lạng Sơn into a border province with a developed economy, a stable society, and a secure national defense, security, and ecological environment. Lạng Sơn aims to become one of the growth poles and economic centers of the Northern mountainous and midland region and an increasingly important “bridge” in economic and trade connectivity between Vietnam, ASEAN countries, China, and Europe. By 2030, Lạng Sơn strives to have an economic scale and gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per capita among the top five provinces in the Northern mountainous and midland region.

Speaking at the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his wish that the Party Committee, military, and ethnic groups of Lạng Sơn would make efforts to effectively implement the provincial plan, increase investment attraction, and promote rapid and sustainable development in Lạng Sơn, which will become a center for economic, trade, and investment connectivity, while preserving the cultural identities of various ethnic groups and building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border region.

The Prime Minister highly appreciated the close coordination between Lạng Sơn province and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in carefully preparing for this important Conference. He emphasized that it is a significant event, combining the announcement of the plan and the promotion of investment in the province, and demonstrates the strategic vision, systematic and scientific approach, and special attention from enterprises and investors.

The Prime Minister highlighted five points regarding the location, role, and three important contents of the planning work. He also acknowledged the positive socio-economic development results achieved in 2023, with a relatively high economic growth rate (GRDP increased by 7%). The growth momentum was sustained in agricultural production, industry, trade, import-export activities, tourism, and services, especially in the areas of digital transformation and improving the business investment environment (with the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) ranking 15th and the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) ranking 6th nationwide). There was also remarkable progress in culture and society, with social welfare being ensured and people’s lives improving. National defense and security were strengthened; social order and safety were maintained; the provincial defense drill was successfully completed; foreign relations were enhanced and expanded in the right direction; and so on…

Regarding the development direction for the coming period, the Prime Minister suggested that Lạng Sơn should focus on implementing eight key tasks: innovating and improving institutions to create a transparent and fair business environment; investing in upgrading and developing synchronous and modern infrastructure; enhancing the quality of human resources; developing tourism as a growth driver and spearhead economic sector; promoting innovation, creativity, and startups; accelerating the restructuring of the agricultural sector to increase added value while building new rural areas; promoting traditional values, enhancing social ethics, legal awareness, and building the culture and people of Lạng Sơn; strengthening national defense and security, ensuring social order and safety, upholding national border sovereignty, building a peaceful, friendly, and cooperative border region, and creating a favorable environment for socio-economic development.

“We have the hope and belief that, with its heroic revolutionary tradition, strong development momentum in recent years, and the support and efforts of central ministries and sectors, the active participation of the business community, investors, and people, Lạng Sơn province will develop in line with the vision, thinking, and innovation as outlined in the announced plan and Resolution No. 11 of the Politburo, and will become a border province with a developed economy, stable society, strong national defense, security, and ecological environment, as well as one of the growth poles and economic centers of the Northern mountainous and midland region. It will also become an important “bridge” in economic and trade connectivity between Vietnam, ASEAN countries, China, and Europe. The material and spiritual life of the people will be continuously improved,” emphasized the Prime Minister.