Attending the conference were Mr. Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Party Secretary, Chairman of VCCI; leaders and representatives of central departments, ministries and branches; leaders of People's Committees and representatives of some departments and branches of the provinces: Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hai Phong, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Lai Chau...; industry associations and large domestic enterprises.
About 300 delegates attended the Program.
On the side of embassies of some countries and international organizations, there were the EU Ambassador to Vietnam; Counselor of the Chinese Embassy; Temporary Representative of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam; representatives of international organizations, promotion organizations, Chinese localities bordering Lao Cai province; Provincial Business Association and foreign enterprises in Vietnam, neighboring regions of Southwest China. The conference was also attended by representatives of enterprises, corporations, and major brands in the fields of business, e-commerce transactions, logistics, freight transport, banking and finance, domestic and foreign production...
On the Lao Cai province side, there were comrades: Trinh Xuan Truong, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Standing members of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee; comrades of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee; leaders of provincial departments, branches, districts, towns, and cities.
Delegates watched a clip introducing Lao Cai province's outstanding competitive advantages in promoting investment, trade and tourism.
In his welcoming speech, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Trinh Xuan Truong said: Carrying out the tasks assigned in Decision No. 1620/QD-TTg dated December 20, 2024 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Plan to implement the construction of Lao Cai to become a Center for connecting economic trade between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region - China, Lao Cai province and VCCI co-organized the conference to gradually concretize this important Plan.
Lao Cai, the land of "rivers at the source, mountains at the peak" with the strong efforts of Lao Cai people, the business community, and the support of the Central Government and other localities, Lao Cai has become a bright spot in socio-economic development after more than 30 years of re-establishment of the province. Today, Lao Cai is facing the greatest opportunity ever to continue to break through and rise strongly. In the Resolutions, National Planning, Regional Planning, Provincial Planning, all clearly define the position and role of Lao Cai as "Growth Pole, economic trade connection center between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region - China"; is a locality of Vietnam together with Yunnan province - China to implement the strategic connection between the Belt and Road Initiative and two corridors, one belt; is the center of the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh economic corridor.
After more than 30 years of re-establishment, Lao Cai has truly transformed itself, making a breakthrough and rising strongly. Lao Cai has a relatively complete and synchronous technical infrastructure (transportation, energy, digital infrastructure) and social infrastructure. Lao Cai people always have aspirations, solidarity, dynamism, creativity, and overcome difficulties to move forward. Clearly aware of its opportunities and potential advantages, but to realize the goals assigned by the Government, it requires the government, people and the business community to continue to act more strongly. In which, Lao Cai provincial government has been focusing on developing synchronous infrastructure such as: Expanding Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, building Sa Pa airport level 4C, developing international railway standard gauge Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, building 500KV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen power line, building smart border gates, modern logistics centers, promoting cross-border e-commerce development, promoting administrative reform, improving the investment environment, creating the most favorable conditions for enterprises and investors to operate production and business effectively and sustainably; expanding industrial parks, promoting high-tech production, processing and manufacturing; developing border economic zones, smart tourism...
Lao Cai province welcomes and respectfully invites domestic and foreign investors to come and study and explore investment cooperation in Lao Cai.
He emphasized that the Lao Cai Meeting 2025 event is of great significance in promoting the image and investment and business environment of Lao Cai province and this is also an opportunity for Lao Cai leaders to meet directly with ambassadors, international organizations and businesses to enhance understanding, connect deeply, and contribute to promoting investment and trade cooperation. With the motto "Businesses prosper, Lao Cai develops", Lao Cai province is committed to creating the most favorable conditions for investors and corporations to have an open, transparent, stable, long-term, developed and prosperous investment and business environment.
Speaking at the Conference, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong said that every year on the occasion of the New Year, VCCI organizes the "New Year Meeting" event to strengthen connections, promote trade and investment of domestic and international enterprises with localities and regions. This year, Lao Cai was chosen as the location of the "2025 Meeting" program because this is a locality that is changing, creating many great opportunities for domestic and foreign investors in the coming time. Infrastructure will have a breakthrough development , the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway will be expanded and completed in the coming time; the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project will create a big change in connection with the Southwest regions of China ; Sa Pa Airport; The 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen line and many other infrastructure projects will create a new driving force to promote investment attraction and economic growth not only in Lao Cai but also in many related localities .
VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong hopes that this event will be a boost to create new momentum for investment and business connections in Lao Cai province and the northern border region .
In 2024, Lao Cai's GRDP growth will reach 7.38%, much higher than the 5.18% growth rate in 2023, and I understand that the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee have set a target of striving for a growth rate of over 10% in 2025, higher than the 9.5% target assigned by the Government and higher than the 8% growth target of the whole country. This shows that Lao Cai is ready to enter a new era of development. As Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, VCCI is committed to contributing to connecting and promoting trade between the business community of ASEAN countries and China through border gates in Lao Cai and the Northwestern provinces.
Attending and speaking at the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son highly appreciated the cooperation of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and VCCI in organizing the event . This is important and practical. In the general movement of the world and regional situation; peace, cooperation and development are still the main "currents" . After nearly 40 years of renovation, Vietnam has achieved great and historic achievements ; GDP increased from 26.3 billion USD in the early years of renovation to 476 billion USD in 2024 , belonging to the group of 35 economies with the largest GDP in the world . As one of the most open economies in the world with a trade to GDP ratio of over 200%, Vietnam plays an increasingly important role in global value chains; is considered an attractive location for foreign investors, a destination with great potential.
Vietnam has set a goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030; and becoming a developed country with high income by 2045. To realize these goals, Vietnam is resolutely implementing "3 strategic breakthroughs " including: perfecting synchronous institutions; developing human resources; building a synchronous infrastructure system . The growth target for 2025 is over 8% and striving for double-digit growth in the following years. In particular, the entire political system is urgently and resolutely implementing a "revolution" in restructuring the apparatus according to the motto "streamlined - compact - strong - effective - efficient - effective - efficient" .
The Vietnamese government hopes to see more and more Chinese, ASEAN and international businesses come to the potential land of Lao Cai .
Lao Cai Province Located in the center of the midland and mountainous region of Northern Vietnam, Lao Cai possesses all the "unique" favorable conditions to develop into an important economic and trade connection center between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region - China. Lao Cai is an economic and foreign affairs center on the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh economic corridor; a transit center between the provinces of Vietnam, ASEAN with the Yunnan market and the Southwest region of China. The province has all types of intra-provincial, inter-provincial and international transportation, rich soil, rich in mineral resources, and a large international border gate. In recent times, the Vietnamese Government has had many policies to maximally support Lao Cai province in exploiting the above potentials and advantages. The plan to develop Lao Cai into an economic and trade connection center between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region of China was issued in December 2024. The planning of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, sets out many key tasks and breakthroughs associated with Lao Cai province. The connection between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province in particular and the southwestern localities of China in general is increasingly focused on, bringing many opportunities for economic, trade and investment cooperation. The southwestern provinces of China and the localities of Vietnam have their own advantages in economic development, with strong complementarity. The two countries are striving to increase the trade turnover between Vietnam and Yunnan to 5 billion USD.
This series of Meet 2025 events is an opportunity for the Governments, localities and businesses of Vietnam, China and ASEAN to share visions, ideas and cooperation plans for mutual development; seek opportunities and partners to expand investment and business relations. This is also an opportunity for Lao Cai province to introduce and promote the locality. is an attractive destination for Chinese, ASEAN and international businesses .
Following the program, the representative of the Central Policy and Strategy Committee spoke about "Vietnam's policy in developing the private economy"; the EU Ambassador to Vietnam informed about "ASEAN - EU relations and recommendations for Vietnam to increase investment attraction from Europe"; the Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam discussed "Vietnam - China relations in the new context: Opportunities for cross-border trade and investment cooperation".
Before the opening session of the 2025 Meeting Conference, the Deputy Prime Minister and leaders of ministries, branches and Lao Cai province visited a number of booths promoting and introducing local products.
“MEETING 2025 LAO CAI” includes 03 sessions: - Session I: Opening - Session II: Lao Cai - Center for connecting trade between Vietnam/ASEAN and the Southwest region, China - Session III: Strengthening local linkages and opportunities for investors. |
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