At the conference, members of the working delegations discussed the challenges faced by localities and proposed solutions to foster socio-economic growth. They also presented recommendations to boost production, business, public investment, and import-export activities in Hải Dương, Lai Châu, and Điện Biên provinces during September and the first nine months of 2024.

The people's committees of Điện Biên, Lai Châu, and Hải Dương gave brief reports on the provinces' production, business, infrastructure investments, and import-export activities over the first nine months of 2024.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Lê Thành Đô, reported that the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of Điện Biên increased by 10.46 per cent during this period. In particular, the culture, sports, and tourism sectors witnessed a significant rise, with the number of tourists visiting Điện Biên showing a remarkable increase compared to the same period last year.

Total tourism revenue reached VNĐ2.7 trillion (US$107.1 million), marking a 2.02-fold increase compared to 2023.

As of September 30, Điện Biên Province had disbursed 57.57 per cent of its public investment plan. The local business environment and investment attraction have shown positive changes, with a total of 215 approved projects and a registered capital of VNĐ50.9 trillion ($2 billion).

Điện Biên Province recommended that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) promptly publicize information on violations and remedies related to the Land Law on its portal. Additionally, the MoNRE should issue timely guidelines for appraising and approving the five-year Land Use Plan (2021-2025) for Điện Biên Province.

During the meeting, ministry representatives addressed and clarified local recommendations regarding various issues, including regulations on seedlings and livestock breeds for production development projects under national target programmes. They also discussed expanding beneficiary eligibility (newly escaped poverty households) for the national poverty reduction programme in ethnic areas, adjusting support levels for production, and providing guidance on selecting investors for power projects.

Concluding the session, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy commended the socio-economic achievements of the three provinces in the first nine months of 2024, noting that they have surpassed the national average. However, he expressed concerns over the slow disbursement of public investment capital.

The provinces were urged to act on the clarified recommendations, particularly those related to land management. For unresolved matters, they were instructed to send further documentation to the working group, and the relevant ministries were given a one-week deadline to respond.

Điện Biên and Lai Châu provinces were also advised to quickly implement regulations on the Law on Land within their jurisdiction. They were tasked with addressing unmet socio-economic targets and aiming to disburse at least 95 per cent of public investment capital by the end of 2024. The provinces were also responsible for finalising their provincial construction and land use plans, while preparing for the medium-term public investment period from 2026 to 2030.