On the eve of the 15th provincial Party Congress for the 2025 - 2030 term, which aims to build Điện Biên towards a green, smart, and sustainable economy and rise to a fairly developed level in the region, comrade Trần Quốc Cường, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, took the time to speak with reporters from the Điện Biên Newspaper and Radio-Television about the outstanding results, the foundational elements that helped the province overcome challenges in the past term, and the strategic orientations and key breakthroughs for the upcoming term.

Reporter: Comrade provincial Party Secretary, could you please outline the outstanding achievements that the Party Central Committee, government, and people of all ethnic groups in Điện Biên province have attained in implementing the Resolution of the 14th provincial Party Congress for the 2020 - 2025 term?

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Quốc Cường: Over the past 5 years, in a context of many difficulties and challenges, the Party Committee, government, army, and people of all ethnic groups in Điện Biên province have promoted the heroic tradition of Điện Biên Phủ and inherited the achievements of previous terms. We have united and strived to achieve quite comprehensive results in all fields.

Key highlights include: The economy has continued to grow well compared to the region, with an average annual growth rate of 8.76% (exceeding the resolution’s target). The economic structure has shifted positively. The GRDP per capita has reached VND 54 million/year, and budget revenue in the area has reached VND 2,062.3 billion (achieving 103.11% of the resolution’s target). The province’s Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) in 2024 ranked 32nd out of 63 centrally-run provinces and cities, an increase of 14 places compared to 2020. Socio-economic infrastructure has received investment attention, with many key transport routes being upgraded and expanded. A typical example is the project to invest in upgrading and expanding Điện Biên Airport, which was completed at the end of 2023 and has opened up new development and connectivity opportunities with major economic centers nationwide. Key arterial traffic routes have been renovated and upgraded, shortening regional connection times. The province is also actively preparing for the implementation of the Sơn La - Điện Biên - Tây Trang Border Gate expressway project.

The cultural and social sectors have received attention and seen significant progress. The education and health systems have been invested in and upgraded. Several historical relics, cultural sites, and tourism infrastructure projects have been built and upgraded. We have completed the support for building permanent houses and “great unity” houses, eliminating over 22,300 temporary and dilapidated homes for poor households. The multidimensional poverty rate has decreased from 30.76% in 2020 to 17.66% today (an average reduction of 3.97%/year). Social security has been a focus. Political security, social order and safety, and national border sovereignty have been firmly maintained. In 2024, the province successfully organized the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory and the National Tourism Year - Điện Biên 2024, attracting the attention and participation of a large number of people across the country and international tourists, receiving high praise and leaving a good impression on the public. This created a significant ripple effect, helping to promote the image of Điện Biên’s land and people, and driving the development of tourism in particular and the province’s socio-economy in general.

The political system and the two-level local government have been restructured to be more streamlined, robust, effective, and efficient, better serving the people and businesses and contributing to local development. This is an organizational breakthrough, clearly demonstrating the timely and decisive leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, as well as the support and consensus of officials, party members, and the public. The new model is proving its clear effectiveness: the apparatus is leaner, with stronger decentralization and delegation of power; the quality of governance and service to the people and businesses has improved, and administrative reform has seen positive changes. This result affirms the correct policy of the Central Government and the proactive, creative approach of the Provincial Party Committee in specifying the Party’s line to fit local realities.

The achievements of the past term are the culmination of the comprehensive and consistent leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, the unity within the entire political system, and the consensus and support of the ethnic peoples. The greatest mark is the ability to translate the Central Government’s guidelines, policies, and resolutions into practical action, creating clear progress and leading Điện Biên to more solid development in the new period.

Reporter: In the context of many difficulties and challenges, especially the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters, what does the provincial Party Secretary see as the key factors that helped the province maintain stability, develop its economy, and ensure social security, national defense, and security in the past term?

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Quốc Cường: In the general context of the country, the province’s implementation of political tasks was affected by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic and complex, unpredictable natural disasters, which had severe consequences for economic development and the lives and health of the people. The pandemic and disasters caused many socio-economic activities to stagnate, such as tourism and border trade; supply chains were disrupted, and people’s production activities faced difficulties. Meanwhile, the province’s resources were limited, and budget expenditure for pandemic prevention was very large, yet we still had to ensure capital for development investment. The biggest challenge for our province was how to both protect the lives and health of the people while maintaining production and social stability. This was a difficult problem that required courage, decisiveness, and a high sense of responsibility from party committees and authorities at all levels in leading and directing local political tasks.

In those conditions, the decisive factor that helped Điện Biên overcome difficulties was the timely support and direction from the Central Government, the Government, the Central Steering Committee, and the unity and consensus of the entire political system and the ethnic peoples. Party committees and authorities from the province to the grassroots level persistently pursued the dual goal: both effectively preventing the pandemic and restoring and developing the socio-economy. Officials and party members set an example, the people agreed, and businesses shared social responsibility. Many “Community Covid Teams” operated effectively in villages and residential groups; the movement to support the vaccine fund and donate food and provisions for affected areas spread strongly. Many businesses proactively maintained jobs and supported workers through difficulties. We also strengthened the implementation of measures to respond to climate change and prevent natural disasters, and promoted the spirit of ethnic unity, actively mobilizing all resources to support people affected by disasters and the pandemic, and caring for the lives of the poor.

Besides that, the timely leadership, direction, and support from the Central Government and its committees, ministries, branches, as well as units, localities, organizations, individuals, and businesses across the country were a great source of strength and encouragement for Điện Biên province. Through flexible and creative leadership and management, Điện Biên province maintained political and social stability, minimized the number of deaths and Covid-19 cases, and gradually restored growth, creating an important foundation for rapid and sustainable development.

Reporter: The work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system has always been identified by the Central Government and the provincial Party Committee as a key task. Could the provincial Party Secretary share some of the innovations and lessons learned by the provincial Party Committee in recent times?

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Quốc Cường: Right from the beginning of the term, the Provincial Party Committee led and directed the effective implementation of the Central Government’s resolutions, directives, and conclusions on the work of building the Party and the political system. After five years of implementing the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress, the Provincial Party Committee has drawn several lessons:

First, the biggest lesson is to always adhere to the Party’s line and policies, promptly specifying them through resolutions and action programs that are suitable for local realities, creating breakthroughs to promote development. Through this, we can mobilize the combined strength of the entire political system and the support of the people.

Second, we must focus on building a clean and strong Party and political system, which is the foundation and a prerequisite for successfully leading and directing the tasks of socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security. We must promote the pioneering and exemplary role of officials and party members, especially leaders, to consolidate the people’s trust and create consensus and unity throughout society.

Third, party committees and organizations at all levels must constantly innovate their methods of leadership and direction, being flexible, creative, and adaptable to the new context and situation of the Party Committee and the country.

Fourth, policies and guidelines will succeed when there is determination from the party committee, creative application suitable to the actual situation, and the support and consensus of the people. The support and joint effort of all classes of people are the decisive factor for the Provincial Party Committee to lead the completion of important goals and at the same time prepare for a new development stage with many expectations.

Reporter: Comrade Provincial Party Secretary, to realize the goal of building Điện Biên to develop towards a green, smart, and sustainable economy, rising to a fairly developed level in the region, what key strategic orientations has the provincial Party Committee identified for the 2025 - 2030 term?

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Quốc Cường: For the 2025 - 2030 term, with the goal of building “Điện Biên to become a province developing towards a green, smart, and sustainable economy, rising to a fairly developed level in the region,” the Party Committee and people of the province must make the highest effort and determination to implement the following tasks and solutions:

First, closely follow the major orientations in the Political Report to be presented at the 14th National Party Congress, clearly identify the locality’s potential and advantages, and select key tasks and development breakthroughs to focus leadership on, creating a new shift in socio-economic development. We will develop thematic projects and resolutions to attract all resources to implement the breakthroughs and key tasks in the Congress Resolution.

Second, focus on developing agriculture and forestry based on strengthening the application of scientific and technical advances; improving the quality, efficiency, and value in production, preservation, processing, and consumption of products. We will develop services and tourism, promoting the cultural values, ethnic identity, and people of Điện Biên, the historical value of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory, the westernmost point of A Pa Chải, and the potential for resort, sports, community-based, and discovery tourism. We will continue to do well in repaying gratitude, effectively implementing social security policies, caring for the material and spiritual lives of the people, and building the great unity of all ethnic groups.

Third, focus on developing economic space according to the “4 dynamic axes - 3 economic zones - 4 growth poles” model as planned. We will promote socio-economic development in the digital space and prioritize the development of socio-economic infrastructure in the central political and administrative area of the province to become one of the major urban centers in the Northwest region.

Fourth, continue to consolidate national defense and security; build a defense area, an all-people national defense, and a people’s security posture linked with a solid “people’s hearts” posture. We will closely combine socio-economic development with strengthening national defense and security potential. We will maintain a special friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the northern provinces of Laos, and expand cooperative relations with Yunnan province (China), countries in the region, and international organizations in line with the Party’s foreign policy.

Fifth, enhance the leadership capacity and combat strength of party organizations and members; continue to perfect the streamlined, effective, and efficient organizational apparatus according to the two-level local government model. We will strengthen inspection and supervision; maintain the Party’s discipline and order; innovate the working style of Party agencies, government, and unions from the provincial to the grassroots level; and effectively implement collective leadership while promoting the proactivity, creativity, responsibility, and exemplary role of leaders.

Reporter: Entering a new development stage, what breakthroughs has the provincial Party Committee identified for the next term, Comrade Provincial Party Secretary?

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Quốc Cường: Based on a clear identification of the locality’s potential and advantages, the province has selected three development breakthroughs to focus its leadership on, creating a new shift in socio-economic development. They are:

(1). Perfecting mechanisms and policies and improving provincial competitiveness. We will focus on researching, issuing, and proposing the issuance of mechanisms and policies to attract investment, develop infrastructure, the agricultural-forestry economy, support businesses, shift the labor structure, and mobilize all resources for development. We are determined to build a government that is close to the people, serving the people and businesses, and creating a transparent, open, and favorable investment and business environment for all economic sectors. We will promote the development of science and technology, digital transformation, the application of artificial intelligence (AI), and administrative procedure reform to continuously improve our capacity to attract investment resources for socio-economic development.

(2). Focusing on mobilizing resources to invest in completing the socio-economic infrastructure system. We will concentrate on investing in transport infrastructure, especially the Sơn La - Điện Biên - Tây Trang Border Gate expressway, the road connecting National Highway 12 with the A Pa Chải - Long Phú Border Gate and the A Pa Chải Border Gate Economic Zone. We will gradually complete inter-regional, inter-commune, and rural transport routes. We will invest in building telecommunications infrastructure to meet the requirements of digital transformation and the administrative operations of the two-level local government. We will focus on implementing the provincial administrative and political center area, and invest in upgrading commune-level administrative centers to ensure they are synchronized and operate effectively. We will continue to perfect the infrastructure serving tourism and service development, and promote investment in new construction projects for production, reservoirs, and environmental and ecological protection, creating a land fund for socio-economic development. We will also increase the attraction of social investment for tourism and commercial projects.

(3). Vigorously developing tourism to become a key economic sector with multiple forms. We will focus on effectively exploiting the potential of historical, ethnic cultural, nature, experiential, resort, sports, and entertainment tourism. We will support and develop diverse, high-quality, and attractive tourism products to help increase tourists’ length of stay and tourism revenue. We will boost investment attraction and develop the Điện Biên Phủ - Pá Khoang National Tourist Area to meet the criteria and be recognized as a National Tourist Area. We will enhance tourism promotion through national and international media channels and social media platforms, and expand linkages and cooperation in tourism development with domestic and international organizations and localities, turning tourism into a key economic sector for the province.

Reporter: Thank you very much, Comrade Provincial Party Secretary!