Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính conducts a field survey on the Đồng Đăng – Trà Lĩnh Highway Project during his working visit in Cao Bằng on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

CAO BẰNG — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked northern Cao Bằng Province to actively build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development between Việt Nam and China and step up the construction of traffic infrastructure to develop the province to a new level.

He made the statement on Monday while inspecting a number of areas and socio-economic infrastructure projects, as part of his working visit to Cao Bằng Province, including Tà Lùng border gate area, border marker No.943 and Tà Lùng 2 Bridge in Tà Lùng Town.

The PM was accompanied by Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Hầu A Lềnh, Secretary of Cao Bằng Province Party Committee Trần Hồng Minh and leaders of ministries, departments, and local authorities.

Tà Lùng, the main border gate of Cao Bằng Province, is at the end of National Highway No.3, followed by Thủy Khẩu Bridge on Bắc Vọng River and connecting Guangxi, China.

PM Chính listened to Secretary of Cao Bằng Province Party Committee Trần Hồng Minh report on the planning and development of Cao Bằng border gate economic zone.

He said that Cao Bằng should take border economic zones as the new development momentum of the province, thus optimising their efficiency. The province should focus on building transport infrastructure connecting with the zones, including a highway linking Bắc Kạn, Lạng Sơn and Quảng Ninh provinces.

Currently, Tà Lùng 1 Bridge is narrow. The Prime Minister applauded the province for building Tà Lùng 2 Bridge and expanding roads for container trucks.

He asked the province to cooperate with ministries and sectors to research and develop aviation.

Chính required the province to develop regional and provincial plans in order to increase connectivity, attract investors, promote raw material areas, and develop border-gate economic zones in association with tourism development.

At the same time, the province should focus on training human resources, he added.

He also noted Bản Giốc waterfall and Pắc Pó special national relic site should be promoted.

According to the master plan, the Cao Bằng border gate economic zone covers an area of about 30,310 hectares on 31 communes and three border towns from Cần Nông Commune in Hà Quảng District to Đức Long Commune in Thạch An District.

The PM also inspected Đồng Đăng-Trà Linh expressway connecting Cao Bằng and Lạng Sơn provinces.

The 121km expressway has about 63km running through Cao Bằng, which is invested under the public-private partnership model. Once completed, it will connect Trà Linh border gate of Cao Bằng, Tân Thanh and Cốc Nam border gates in Lạng Sơn Province with Hà Nội and the Red River Delta region, helping promote socio-economic growth of the localities it crosses.

PM visits and presents Tết gifts

Also on Monday, PM Chính visited and presented gifts to local armed forces, policy beneficiary families, revolutionary beneficiaries and the needy in the northern province of Cao Bằng on the threshold of the Lunar New Year, the most important and longest festival of Vietnamese people.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính pays a visit to officials and soldiers at Tà Lùng Border Guard Station. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In Quảng Hòa District, PM Chính presented 200 sets of Tết gifts to policy beneficiary families, people who rendered services to the nation, poor households as well as needy members of trade unions.

Briefing local residents on the achievements that the country made in 2022, PM Chính hailed contributions by Cao Bằng in this overall success.

He asked local authorities to better care for locals, especially the needy during Tết, ensuring a warm festival for all without leaving anyone behind.

The PM reminded local authorities and residents to ensure safety during the festival, while continuing to implement their tasks in security-defence and economic development, building a shared border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

He also extended New Year greetings to the Party organisations, administration and residents of Quảng Hoà District.

Visiting officers and soldiers of the border guard post of Tà Lùng border gate in Tà Lùng Town, as well as local children sponsored by the border guard post, Chính said he understood the difficulties and tough tasks that officers and soldiers of the border guard post face and recognised their efforts in completing their missions.

The Government leader underlined the significance of ensuring border stability and protecting national sovereignty and territory, asking the border guard force to work harder to ensure a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, building a firm defence zone and providing the best conditions for economic collaboration activities.

He asked the Tà Lùng border guard post to coordinate with local authorities to review the list of needy people to ensure that no one suffered from hunger and cold, and everyone enjoys a warm festival.

Earlier, on Sunday, PM Chính visited Lâm Thị Mèn, a Heroic Vietnamese Mother in Quy Thuận Commune, Quảng Hòa District, during which he wished the mother of two martyrs good health and happiness in the New Year.

The Government leader affirmed that the Party, State and people always remember the contributions and sacrifice of policy beneficiary families and are working hard to give the best care for them.  VNS