He made this request on Wednesday (May 15) while chairing an online conference with the two provinces to discuss the socio-economic situation, public investment, and infrastructure development in April and the first four months of 2024.

Lê Thành Đô, the Điện Biên provincial Party Committee Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee attended the conference.

The conference evaluated the socio-economic development, business production, public investment, infrastructure construction, import-export activities and real estate market in Điện Biên and Lai Châu provinces during April and the first four months of 2024.

They also discussed existing challenges as well as proposals and recommendations to boost socio-economic development in the two provinces.

From Điện Biên Province, Đô reported that in the first four months of the year, the province's socio-economic situation showed positive results.

The province planted over 9,820 hectares of winter-spring rice, exceeding 100 per cent of the plan. Total retail sales of goods and service revenue increased by nearly 20 per cent compared to the same period last year, estimated at over VNĐ2.07 trillion (US$81.3 million).

Tourism was a highlight that achieved significant results. In the first four months, Điện Biên welcomed over 845,000 visitors, with total tourism revenue exceeding VNĐ1.5 trillion ($58.9 million).

Import and export activities remained stable, with total import-export turnover of goods and services reaching over $51 million, an increase of more than 4 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Regarding public investment disbursement, by the end of this April, the province had disbursed nearly $545 billion, reaching nearly 14 per cent of the plan.

During the discussion, delegates highly appreciated the socio-economic development indicators achieved by the two provinces. They also discussed the implementation of three national target programmes, the Law on Property Auction and related regulations, guidelines for district-level People's Committees on handling civil status documents issued improperly by commune-level People's Committees, and the Ministry of Finance’s Circular No65/2021/TT-BTC issued on July 29, 2021, which regulates the estimation, management, use, and settlement of maintenance and repair costs of public assets.

As a government member assigned to work with the two provinces, Khánh received feedback to compile and report to the Government.

The minister urged the two provinces to focus on climate change issues, resolve difficulties to accelerate the disbursement of funds for national target programmes and public investment.