The Party Committee, authorities, and people of all ethnic groups in Lao Cai are determined to fulfil the goal of “Building a pure, strong, and comprehensive Party and political system; promoting the great national unity bloc; and creating a breakthrough to transform Lao Cai into a growth pole and an international economic gateway — developing in a green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy direction.”
Over the past five years, the Party Committees, authorities, and people of the two provinces, Lao Cai and Yen Bai, have made continuous efforts and achieved significant and comprehensive results, basically meeting the key targets set by the 2020–2025 Party Congress resolutions.
Party-building and political system consolidation have achieved notable progress. Political and ideological work has been prioritised, with innovations implemented deeply and substantively. The reform of local administrative organisation across two levels of government has yielded breakthrough results: the provincial merger has been completed, 24 provincial departments have been reduced, 18 district-level administrative units have ceased operation, and communes, wards, and townships have been merged into 99 new administrative units (a reduction of 220), cutting 2,375 staff positions.
Economic development has recorded substantial achievements. Agriculture has been strongly restructured towards commodity production, maintaining its role as a stabilising pillar of the economy. Industry has grown at an average annual rate of 7.29%, with industrial production value in 2025 increasing by 49.8% compared to 2020. Tourism has experienced a breakthrough, welcoming over 10 million visitors in 2025, generating 46,455 billion VND (1.76 billion USD), 2.4 times higher than in 2020. The province now has about 12,500 enterprises, 1.5 times more than in 2020.
Education quality has been comprehensively enhanced, and school infrastructure has been upgraded towards modernisation. The proportion of schools meeting national standards has risen from 58.9% in 2020 to 75.6% in 2025. A total of 12,915 houses have been built under the programme to eradicate temporary and dilapidated housing — achieving 100% of the plan six months ahead of schedule assigned by the Central Government. The poverty rate has declined by an average of 4% per year.
National defence and security have been consolidated and maintained. Foreign relations and international integration have become more substantive, achieving positive results. The all-people national defence posture, in combination with the people’s border defence and public security postures, has been strengthened and stabilised.
However, Lao Cai still faces many challenges: a small economic scale, low labour productivity and competitiveness, incomplete infrastructure, frequent natural disasters and climate change impacts, and human resources that do not yet meet development requirements. Many residents in highland, ethnic minority, and border areas continue to experience difficulties.
The Provincial Party Committee of Lao Cai has identified the theme of the 2025–2030 Party Congress as: “Building a pure, strong, and comprehensive Party and political system; promoting the great national unity bloc; and creating a breakthrough to transform Lao Cai into a growth pole and an international economic gateway — developing in a green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy direction.”
Accordingly, the province has defined five guiding viewpoints, 25 main objectives, five key tasks, three breakthroughs, and ten major solution groups to be implemented in the upcoming term.
Among these, the three strategic breakthroughs and ten solutions are considered the driving forces for Lao Cai’s transformation in the new period.
Three strategic breakthroughs: First, a strong breakthrough in mechanisms and policies to unlock and mobilise all resources, focusing on developing four key economic pillars. The province will build special and superior mechanisms and policies to attract strategic investors, driving advances in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to serve development.
Second, a breakthrough in developing high-quality human resources, with an emphasis on attracting and valuing talent. Lao Cai will strongly reform cadre work, focusing on building capable and reputable leaders at all levels, including commune-level officials. It will also boost the quantity and quality of labour in the non-state sector and foster a strong community of entrepreneurs and enterprises across industries.
Third, a breakthrough in investing in modern, synchronised socio-economic infrastructure with high interconnectivity, focusing on inter-regional and international transport systems. This includes developing infrastructure for border economic zones, free economic cooperation areas, modern logistics centres, and urban chains along the Red River economic corridor. Investments will also be made in digital and technological infrastructure to support sustainable socio-economic governance and management.
Ten comprehensive solution groups:
First: Build a pure, strong, effective, and efficient Party and political system. Consistently and creatively apply Marxism–Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and the Party’s renewal policies to local realities. Improve policy formulation and execution, and strengthen the implementation and evaluation of Party resolutions. Grassroots Party organisations must truly act as a bridge between the Party and the people, with special attention to Party development in the private sector and border areas. The role of the Fatherland Front in consolidating great national unity must also be reinforced.
Second: Establish and effectively implement mechanisms and policies that create breakthroughs in the legal environment, mobilising all available resources for rapid and sustainable development. Policies must be people- and business-centred.
Third: Prioritise economic development, productivity growth, and innovation-driven restructuring, with science, technology, and digital transformation as the main engines. The province will develop eco-friendly industry and promote agriculture and rural development under the model of ecological agriculture, modern countryside, and civilised farmers.
Fourth: Accelerate the development of modern, interconnected infrastructure, creating new development spaces and regional linkages. Strengthen cooperation with neighbouring provinces and areas along the high-speed railway corridor to expand Lao Cai’s growth zone. Urban areas along the Red River will be developed into connected, supportive city chains. Major transport hubs such as Sa Pa Airport and the Lao Cai–Ha Noi–Hai Phong railway stations will be prioritised.
Fifth: Promote comprehensive development of culture and people in Lao Cai based on national, cultural, and family values, meeting integration and development needs. Effectively implement the National Target Programme on Cultural Development for 2025–2035, focusing on political culture and a civil service environment of unity, democracy, and dedication.
Sixth: Improve healthcare, education, human resource quality, and employment opportunities; enhance social governance towards sustainable development. Continue prioritising poverty reduction efforts, striving to reduce the poverty rate by 2.5–3% per year.
Seventh: Create breakthroughs in science, technology application, innovation, and digital transformation. Promote interdisciplinary and locally appropriate technological development as the main driver for changing mindsets and achieving socio-economic breakthroughs.
Eighth: Manage and use natural resources efficiently, protect the environment, and proactively respond to natural disasters and climate change. Improve land-use planning and promote efficient, economical utilisation of land, minerals, and water resources.
Ninth: Strengthen national defence and security; firmly protect the national border; and deepen foreign relations and international integration. Combine socio-economic development with defence and security assurance, and continue implementing an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, and cooperative foreign policy.
Tenth: Promote socialist democracy and the strength of great national unity, fostering self-reliance and the aspiration for development. Ensure equality, solidarity, and mutual support among ethnic groups. Respect freedom of belief and religion, and enable religious organisations to operate equally under the law while contributing positively to Lao Cai’s development.
