Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm speaks at a meeting with the Party Standing Committee of the northern province of Sơn La on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

SƠN LA — Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm has urged authorities in the northern province of Sơn La to turn it into an ecological agriculture and tourism hub of the northwest region.

The top leader was meeting with the Sơn La Party Standing Committee on Thursday to review the province's progress in implementing resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the 16th Provincial Party Congress, as well as major policies and resolutions of the Party Central Committee during the first six months of the year.

He also outlined the key areas the province should focus on in the second half of the year to reach the annual growth targets.

While acknowledging the provincial authorities’ ongoing efforts, the Party chief also pointed out that Sơn La economy has yet to show significant improvements in quality, productivity and resilience.

The province’s tourism is experiencing rapid growth in visitor numbers, but revenue growth is slow. Implementation of many investment projects is still slow and has not transformed into actual production capacity.

To improve, Sơn La should reorganise agriculture into a closed value chain, addressing the disconnect between factories and raw material areas.

Infrastructure of industrial clusters should be expanded to serve production, focusing on key products such as Arabica coffee, fruits, tea, milk and medicinal herbs.

Farming infrastructure should be further developed, from planting areas and irrigation systems to areas for preliminary processing, cold storage and large-scale livestock farming.

A farmer harvests late-season plums for sale at Khánh Dương cooperative in Long Phiêng Commune, Sơn La Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Quyết

The quality of local tourism must also be increased, not just the number of visitors. More attractive tourism products, such as multi-day tours connecting Mộc Châu, Vân Hồ, Tà Xùa, Ngọc Chiến, Quỳnh Nhai and the Sơn La hydroelectric reservoir, must be developed so that tourists extend their length of stay and increase spending.

Specifically, Mộc Châu town should be developed into a unique ‘ecological plateau’ and a national destination.

Areas surrounding Sơn La reservoir should be equipped with a comprehensive system of wharves, safe transportation, rest stops, accommodation and environmental sanitation.

Community-based tourism must be planned carefully and avoid offering spontaneous, low-quality services.

In terms of transport, the province must have plans in place for the development of interchanges, logistics centres, service areas and tourist destinations along the Hòa Bình-Mộc Châu Expressway and the Mộc Châu-Sơn La-Điện Biên route.

In terms of new investments into floating solar power, wind power and other types of new energy, careful calculations must be conducted for transmission capacity, dam safety, waterway traffic, as well as the effects they may have on surrounding landscapes and community livelihoods.

Given the province’s geographical location, the top leader also stressed its role in maintaining national defence and border security.

Cooperation agreements with the northern provinces of Laos must be turned into actionable programmes on agriculture, trade, education, health, drug prevention and border management.

The meeting is held to review Sơn La's progress in implementing major resolutions and policies in the first half of the year. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Regarding the goal of building a drug-free Sơn La by 2030, areas, routes and neighbourhoods frequented by drug addicts must be clearly identified.

They must be provided with rehabilitation and jobs afterwards, and helped by the police, healthcare officials, support groups and families.

Regarding this year’s growth targets, the General Secretary and President asked Sơn La authorities to develop specific growth scenarios for each industry, sector, project and key product.

The province needs to proactively prepare its socio-economic development and public investment plan for 2027, focusing on projects with a ripple effect and directly addressing policy bottlenecks, he said.

He emphasised that the provincial Party Committee needs to nurture a strong but substantive development aspiration, without sacrificing the environment or over-exploiting resources for short-term growth.

“The goal is to build Sơn La into a unique centre for ecological agricultural production and tourism in the northwest, as well as a green, safe area and a strong safety fence of the country,” he said. — VNS