On December 25, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg approving the provincial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. The master plan is to concretize the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the country's 10-year socio-economic development strategy for 2021-2030, and Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW dated February 10, 2022 of the Politburo on orientations for socio-economic development and ensuring national defence and security in the northern midland and mountainous region until 2030, with a vision to 2045; national, sectoral and regional plans; and the Resolution of the 15th Son La provincial Party Congress.

Under the master plan, Son La province has a natural area of more than 14,000sq.km, the third largest among 63 provinces and cities nationwide. The province has 12 administrative units and a population of over 1.3 million belonging to 12 ethnic groups.

By 2030, Son La province strives to become a province with rapid, comprehensive, sustainable and equitable development; one of the well-developed provinces in the northern midlands and mountainous region; the center of the northwest sub-region; a key tourism hub of the Vietnam - Laos border region and the northern midland and mountainous region; and an agricultural product processing center of the northern midland and mountainous region.

It will boast convenient connections with major socio-economic centers of the region, the country, the Mekong sub-region, neighbouring countries and ASEAN.

The province will strengthen defence, security and foreign relations; protect independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; and maintain a peaceful and stable environment, contributing to the development of the region and the country.

Son La will develop its economy in a multi-sectoral, multi-field, comprehensive, fast and sustainable direction; strongly shift economic structure associated with innovating growth model with energy, mining, processing, and manufacturing industries as the foundation while high-tech, large-scale agricultural industries with high added value and tourism as breakthrough spearheads.

Son La province will include four special economic spaces, including the urban area and National Highway 6; Moc Chau Highlands and surrounding areas; the Son La hydropower reservoir and Da River basin; and the border highlands.

Focus will be placed on developing smart sustainable urban areas, green urban areas adaptive to climate change. Two border gate economic zones Long Sap and Chieng Khuong; two industrial parks Mai Son and Van Ho; and 15 industrial clusters will be formed.

Son La will develop the traffic network and coordinate in the implementation of traffic projects invested by the Government in the locality, including those to build Hoa Binh - Son La - Dien Bien Expressway and Na San Airport, upgrade and expand some key national highways, and construct key transport projects in the province.

Urban the master plan, in 2021-2025, the province will have 16 urban areas, including one second-tier, two fourth-tier and 13 fifth-tier ones; and the urbanisation rate will reach 20.6.1%. The figures for the 2026-2030 period will be 17 and 25.8%. By 2030, Son La city is expected to become a first-tier urban area.

At this conference, the provincial People's Committee handed over the investment policy decisions and investment registration certificates to eight investors implementing projects in Son La province.