Working with the ministry’s delegation were Hoang Quoc Khanh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee; Lo Minh Hung, Standing Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, and other officials of the province.

At the meeting, the provincial Party Committee reported to the Minister of National Defense and the working delegation on the results of implementing the tasks of socio-economic development; strengthening national defence and security; building the Party and consolidating the political system in the province over the past time. Notably, it has led and directed the implementation of three national target programmes in the locality; prioritized resources to focus on building Son La province into a high-tech agricultural development centre; a agricultural processing hub, a center for milk, fruit, and medicinal plant production, and a tourism hub of the northwestern region.

The province has actively carried out key traffic projects; focused on preventing, responding to and overcoming the consequences of floods. The local economy has grown quite well, with economic structure continuing to shift positively, in the right direction and in line with the economic development goals of the province.

The province has attached importance to the work of building the Party and the political system, maintaining the principles of leadership, high solidarity and unity, and strictly implementing regulations on setting examples, especially for the heads of Party committees, authorities and organizations. The management and operation capacity of authorities at all levels has been increasingly improved. The activities of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations have continued to be innovated and become effective.

Son La has also strengthened dissemination work to raise awareness among cadres, party members and people of all walks of life about the province’s important strategic position in the terms of national defence and security. It has closely coordinated with the Ministry of National Defence and directed the forces to actively and proactively prepare for the second Vietnam - Laos border defence friendship exchange.

Hoang Quoc Khanh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, proposed to the Ministry of National Defence support the province in replacing makeshift houses and some tasks related to defence and security.

The Minister of National Defence appreciated the achievements that the Party Committee, authorities, army and people of all ethnic groups in Son La province have achieved in all fields. He requested the provincial Party Committee to continue to lead and direct the building and rectification of the Party and the political system, making them pure and strong; and pay attention to remote, isolated areas, areas important to national defence, and newly arranged areas in the province.

The province was urged to continue to effectively implement Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW dated February 10, 2022 of the Politburo on socio-economic development orientations, ensuring national defence and security in the northern midland and mountainous area by 2030, with a vision to 2045; and effectively implement the national target programmes, especially the one for socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas.

Minister Giang stressed the need to build strong and comprehensive provincial armed forces; and closely combine socio-economic development with strengthening national defence and security, creating a stable and favorable environment for local socio-economic development.

The province should proactively promote regional cooperation and linkages; and better carry out foreign relations, especially with Laos, in order to build a borderline of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development, he added.