Workshop on socio-economic development of western districts of Cao Bang province for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030

On April 19, 2023, in Bao Lac district, the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Provincial Party Committee's specialized resolutions held a workshop on socio-economic development of the western districts of Cao Bang province for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030. Comrade Hoang Xuan Anh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee , chaired the workshop.

Overview of the Workshop

The workshop was attended by nearly 100 delegates, including: members of the Steering Committee, representatives of provincial departments, branches and sectors; leaders of Bao Lac, Bao Lam , Nguyen Binh districts; a number of experts and businessmen inside and outside the province.

The Western districts (including 3 districts: Bao Lac, Bao Lam, Nguyen Binh) are one of the 3 important economic sub-regions of Cao Bang province, with an area accounting for 40% of the total natural area of the province and have many potentials, advantages and room for socio-economic development. The terrain is strongly divided and has many rivers, streams and minerals, which are favorable for hydropower development, mineral exploitation and processing industry development with appropriate forms and scales. At the same time, the sub-region also has many potentials and advantages to develop agricultural and forestry production with special crops and livestock that bring high economic value such as: rare and precious timber trees, medicinal plants, fragrant sticky rice, blood plum trees, arrowroot trees, bamboo poles, cows, black pigs, wild pigs...

In particular, the sub-region has many advantages for expanding cooperation to develop various types of trade, tourism and services . This is a "spiritual" land with many traditional historical and cultural values; it is the homeland of many revolutionary soldiers, where the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army, was established. In the region, there are about 10 ethnic groups coexisting, preserving many traditional cultural values imbued with identity and having many scenic spots and historical relics, is a bridge connecting Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark with Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark (Ha Giang).

In recent years, with the attention of Party committees and authorities at all levels and the efforts of enterprises, individuals in production and business and people in the sub-region, the socio-economic situation of the sub-region has changed a lot. Many infrastructure works have been invested in construction and upgrading, stabilizing the population in border areas and natural disaster areas with investment focus; by the end of 2022, 03 communes will meet new rural standards; 74.5% of communes will meet national standards on commune health; the rate of hamlets with car roads to the center will reach over 83%; the material and spiritual life of the people has been improved, on average in recent years the number of poor households has decreased by over 1,000 households/year (in 2021, 1,716 poor households decreased; in 2022, 2,015 poor households decreased)...

Besides the potentials and advantages , the districts in the sub-region are districts with difficult socio-economic conditions , limited and unsynchronized infrastructure ; agricultural production is still fragmented and small-scale; mobilizing social resources to participate in socio-economic development and new rural construction still has many difficulties; the rate of poor and near-poor households is still high; the security and order situation in ethnic minority areas still has many potential complex factors.

Faced with the current situation and requirements, it is necessary to focus on directing and promoting the rapid and sustainable socio-economic development of the Western districts, creating a balance in the socio-economic development of the province. The Cao Bang Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU, dated November 29, 2021 on the construction and development of the Western districts of Cao Bang province, period 2021-2025, vision to 2030; accordingly, the Steering Committee for the implementation of thematic Resolutions of the Provincial Party Committee also issued Plan No. 888/KH-BCĐ dated April 15, 2022 on the implementation of Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU.

After more than 01 year of implementing Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU, Party committees and authorities from the provincial to grassroots levels have drawn some experiences and theoretical issues from the practical implementation of Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU; at the same time, identified key issues and bottlenecks that need to be resolved to successfully implement the goals and tasks according to Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU in particular and sustainable development. Socio-economic development of the Western districts in general . On that basis, the Workshop listened to and studied 10 reports, 03 discussion opinions, objectively and comprehensively assessing the current socio-economic development situation and proposing many solutions to overcome difficulties and limitations; overcome challenges, and make full use of opportunities for development. Western districts , specifically: Current situation and solutions to promote socio-economic development linkages in Western districts of Cao Bang province in the period of 2021-2025; Current situation and solutions to attract investors to participate in socio-economic development in Western districts; Promoting the development of agricultural and forestry production in Western districts in the period of 2022-2025 towards commodity production on the basis of exploiting existing potential and closely following market demand; Solutions to build and develop the transport network in Western districts to contribute to promoting socio-economic development ; Solutions to develop urban areas in Western districts; Solutions to improve the quality of education and training in Western districts; Professional and effective working style and attitude of officials, civil servants and public employees: Factors directly affecting the implementation of local socio-economic development tasks; Solutions to promote the commercialization of products and goods in Western districts; Linking tourism development between districts in the West and neighboring provinces; Solutions to make the application of science and technology become a habit of producers...

Comrade Hoang Xuan Anh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Head of the Steering Committee gave a speech at the Workshop.

Speaking at the Workshop, Comrade Hoang Xuan Anh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Provincial Party Committee's specialized resolutions emphasized: The Workshop was held in the context of many new factors affecting the socio-economic development of the whole country, the province and the Western districts. The contents of the objective and comprehensive assessment of the current situation and the proposals for useful solutions, closely following the goals and requirements for socio-economic development of the Western districts are of great significance to help the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Provincial Party Committee's specialized resolutions continue to have new policies and orientations to promote socio-economic development of the Western districts in line with the overall socio-economic development of Cao Bang province both at present and in the following years. The workshop is also an opportunity for the Party Committees and authorities of the Western districts to assess the overall situation, thereby proposing directions and tasks for sustainable development in the coming time, especially identifying issues of development linkage, sharing lessons and experiences, improving the effectiveness of directing, operating and organizing the implementation of common socio-economic development tasks of the three districts and of each district. He requested the Sub-committees assisting the Steering Committees of the districts: Bao Lac, Bao Lam , Nguyen Binh to study, absorb and effectively apply the comments on solutions to overcome limitations, exploit potentials, and develop the socio-economic cluster of the three Western districts presented by the delegates at the workshop; proactively coordinate with relevant agencies in realizing solutions for rapid and sustainable development in all socio-economic aspects, thereby successfully implementing the tasks and goals set out in Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU./.

Some pictures of delegates speaking at the Conference :