Lang Son (VNA) – Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong ordered Lang Son to make stronger improvementsin socio-economic development, while visiting the northern border mountainous provinceon August 25.

Highly valuing the province’sefforts and achievements in recent years, he told local officials at a meetingthe same day that they need to be further aware of the general context as wellas both advantages and disadvantages of Lang Son to identify targets, requirements,and tasks for boosting economic development.

Lang Son should be aware that boostingcross-border economic activities is for the sake of economic development of notonly itself but also the entire Vietnam, especially others in the northernregion, he said, asking it to strengthen the neighbourliness, friendship, andmutual trust with China.

The Party leader requested the province to strongly and harmoniously combineeconomic growth with cultural and social development, with people put at thecentre, to properly handle social issues and unceasingly improve people’smaterial and spiritual lives.

Lang Son was also demanded to keep reforming and improving education andtraining, health care, vocational training and job creation, especially inrural and remote areas and those housing many new investment projects;fruitfully carry out the policies for revolution contributors, ethnicminorities and rural residents to better their life quality; and develop humanresources in conformity with the major orientations set at the 17th provincial Party Congress.

General Secretary Trong told theprovince to enhance its connectivity with others in the northern midland andmountainous region, the Red River Delta, and the Hanoi Capital Region to createmomentum for development, while developing comprehensive infrastructure andmodernity-oriented service, agricultural and industrial sectors to achieve fastand sustainable development.

As a border locality, Lang Son needs to pay special attention to consolidatepeople-based defence and security, combine socio-economic development withdefence and security safeguarding, effectively implement the policies on ethnicminority and religious affairs, ensure political security and social order andsafety, firmly protect the national sovereignty, and build a border of peace,friendship, cooperation, stability and development.

It is also important to fruitfully carry out diplomatic activities and internationalintegration, thereby providing a favourable environment for socio-economicdevelopment in the province, the northern midland and mountainous region, andthe whole country, according to him.

The leader also requested betterperformance in building and rectifying the Party and the political system.

He expressed his belief that withits traditions, will, aspirations, dynamism, and creativity, the local Partyorganisation, administration and people will stay united, step up reforms, andsurpass all the targets set by the 13th National Party Congress andthe 17th provincial Party Congress to develop Lang Son into a richand civilised province and secure prosperity and happiness for all.

Reporting on local achievements, Secretary of the provincial Party CommitteeNguyen Quoc Doan said Lang Son is the first locality nationwide to have successfullyapplied the “digital border gate” model. In 2022, its ranked 15th among the 63 provinces and cities nationwide in terms of the ProvincialCompetitiveness Index, sixth in the digital transformation rankings, and secondin the Provincial Green Index list.

During 2021 - 2022, the GRDP growth rate averaged 6.95% and per capita income49.26 million VND (over 2,000 USD), respectively 1.5% and 29.3% higher than inthe 2015 - 2020 period.

By the end of this year’s first quarter,96 communes had been recognised as new-style rural areas, including 22 meetingadvanced standards and four listed as model ones. Up to 98% of the rural residents havegained access to hygienic water, up 3% from 2020, he added./.