Implementation Plan for the Planning for the Northern midlands and mountainous region of Vietnam for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050

Implementation Plan for the Planning for the Northern midlands and mountainous region of Vietnam for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050

On October 11, 2024, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam issued Decision 1161/QD-TTg regarding the Implementation Plan for the Planning for the Northern midlands and mountainous region of Vietnam for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, focusing on the following key task groups:

(1) Focus on infrastructure development, prioritizing the development of the transportation system connected to the capital Hanoi, the Red River Delta region, the North Central subregion, and China, Laos; primarily investing in transportation infrastructure to develop economic corridors associated with Hanoi and the Red River Delta region such as Hanoi - Bac Giang - Lang Son - Cao Bang, Hanoi - Hoa Binh - Son La - Dien Bien, Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan, Hanoi - Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang, Phu Tho - Vinh Phuc - Hanoi - Hung Yen - Hai Duong - Hai Phong, Hanoi - Phu Tho - Tuyen Quang - Bac Kan - Cao Bang. Accelerate the preparation and commencement of high-speed railway construction routes Lang Son - Hanoi, Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh. Build and upgrade logistics infrastructure, border-gate economic zones, tourist areas, information, communication, and digital economy infrastructure.

- Stage 2021 - 2025:

+ Regarding roads, complete expressway, and quasi-expressway routes, including: Huu Nghi - Chi Lang, Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho, Cho Moi - Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang, and the connection route Lai Chau with Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway; focus on upgrading prioritized segments on ring roads 1 (National Highway 4), ring road 2 (National Highway 279) and ring road 3 (National Highway 37) and some routes like National Highway 2, National Highway 2C, National Highway 3B, National Highway 6, National Highway 12, National Highway 15, National Highway 31, National Highway 32C...

+ Regarding aviation, invest in Sa Pa airport under a public-private partnership (PPP) form; invest in upgrading Dien Bien airport.

+ Regarding railways, renovate and upgrade cargo stations to effectively exploit existing railway lines; invest in connectivity at Lao Cai international border gate.

+ Regarding waterway, invest in dredging channels at infrastructure bottlenecks on the Red River for convenient connection to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh; attract out-of-budget investment in inland ports in Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Lang Son, Cao Bang; enhance the efficiency of waterway transport exploitation on hydropower reservoir areas in the region.

- Stage 2026 - 2030:

+ Regarding roads, complete expressway, and quasi-expressway routes, including: Dong Dang - Tra Linh; Hoa Binh - Moc Chau - Son La, Doan Hung - Cho Ben; ring road 5 passing through Thai Nguyen and Bac Giang province; connecting route Ha Giang with Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway; expand some phased investment expressway segments (Yen Bai - Lao Cai, Hoa Lac - Hoa Binh...) according to planning.

+ Regarding aviation, research and call for investment under PPP or other forms for airports in the region such as: Na San, Lai Chau with the principle of enhancing decentralization to local authorities as regulatory agencies.

+ Regarding railways, invest in the railway route Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, research investment in the railway route Hanoi - Dong Dang.

+ Regarding inland waterways, invest in upgrading the inland waterway route Viet Tri - Yen Bai - Lao Cai; continue enhancing the efficiency of inland waterway transport exploitation on hydropower reservoir areas in the region.

(2) Focus on developing dynamic areas, growth poles, important economic corridors, and advantageous economic sectors. Develop an industrial-urban-service belt, forming industry-linked clusters, regional product chains primarily concentrated in Bac Giang - Thai Nguyen - Phu Tho - Hoa Binh; regional sector value chains, products such as high-level electricity, electronics, mechanical manufacturing centers in Thai Nguyen and Bac Giang, agricultural product processing centers in Son La, wood production and processing centers in Tuyen Quang, economic trade centers connecting Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest China region in Lao Cai. Develop regional growth poles in Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Lao Cai, Son La, Lang Son, Phu Tho. Promote the development of characteristic agricultural and tourism product chains and border-gate economy.

Focus on developing the system of 05 border-gate economic zones in the area, including Thanh Thuy Economic Zone, Ha Giang province; Cao Bang Economic Zone, Cao Bang province; Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone, Lang Son province; Ma Lu Thang Economic Zone, Lai Chau province; Lao Cai Economic Zone, Lao Cai province. Priority investment is given to the complete modernization of infrastructure at Cao Bang Economic Zone, Dong Dang - Lang Son Economic Zone, Lao Cai Economic Zone. Develop three border gates applying the border-gate economic area policy, including: Long Sap international border gate, Son La province; Chieng Khuong border gate, Son La province; Tay Trang international border gate, Dien Bien province. Research the feasibility of forming a border economic zone at U Ma Tu Khoong border gate, Lai Chau province.

(3) Improve the quality of human resources, especially vocational education for ethnic minorities, to meet the needs of each sub-region and area; focus on attracting and utilizing human resources, especially local skilled human resources. Implement the Labor Market Development Support Program by 2030 in conjunction with promoting labor market information. Establish and effectively implement labor management and unemployment insurance policies.

- Develop Thai Nguyen as a research-training area, developing high-quality human resources for the whole region. Gradually prepare conditions to develop Northwestern University (Son La) into the region's key higher education institution; Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University (Bac Giang); Hung Vuong University (Phu Tho) into key higher education institutions of the sub-region when conditions on capital are met, prioritizing high-quality training and vocational practice, cultural, historical research - advertising - preservation about the lifestyle and culture of the ethnic community. Research potential development of sub-regional universities in Dien Bien and Lai Chau.

- Invest in several schools performing the function as regional centers for high-quality training and vocational practice, prioritizing the development dynamic area of the region.

- Encourage reputable enterprises, organizations, and individuals both domestically and internationally to participate in the investment and development of vocational education facilities and collaboration for high-quality human resource training.

(4) Strengthen internal regional, inter-regional, and international cooperation. Implement pilot models, new mechanisms, and policies specific to regional development, especially important areas, regions for forest protection, border security, water security, energy security. Exclusively protect headwaters, implement a mechanism for inter-sectoral water resource sharing between regions, the Red River Delta region; strengthen law enforcement capacity on environmental protection for the northern midland and mountainous provinces from now to 2030. Invest in building inter-regional, inter-provincial water supply, water diversion works, with priority given to:

- Upgrading the Pa Khoang - Nam Rom (Dien Bien) irrigation system; Cau Son - Cam Son (Bac Giang) irrigation system; Thac Huong (Thai Nguyen) irrigation system; Nui Coc (Thai Nguyen) irrigation system.

- Constructing Na Lanh (Bac Giang) reservoir to supply existing reservoirs and supplement water for Luc Ngan - Bac Giang; Nghinh Tuong (Thai Nguyen) reservoir to supply water and supplement the Cau river system; Thuong Tien (Hoa Binh) reservoir; Phieng Luc (Lai Chau) reservoir; water supply and storage system for the Moc Chau plateau; water diversion, excess water transfer system from Cam Son reservoir to Khuoc Than reservoir.

- Maintain and improve silted, blocked drainage channels to improve self-flow drainage capacity; supplement mechanical drainage works to enhance drainage capacity for urban areas in the region; improve pumping stations draining to Cau river, Thuong river, Luc Nam river (Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang). Invest in upgrading, completing river dike system (Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai).

- Invest in renewing the weather, hydrological, disaster, and regional climate change forecasting, warning systems. Develop pilot models of sustainable community-based forest management. Research revenue allocation mechanisms for forest environmental services. Specifically:

+ Priority for forest protection and development, particularly protecting and restoring natural forests, critical protection forests, and headwater forests in the provinces of Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Tuyen Quang.

+ For special-use forests: increase stability maintenance for national parks, nature reserves, species and habitat conservation areas, high biodiversity value landscape protection areas; preserve high mountain tropical forest ecosystems and precious plant and animal genetic resources; enhance special-use forest quality in Son La, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Tuyen Quang, Lai Chau provinces to form corridors connecting protective forest areas.

+ For protective forests: focus on constructing and strengthening the headwater protective forest system of river systems, especially headwater protective forests along hydropower ladder stations on the Da River and Ma River. Identify and protect headwater protective forest areas in the Da River, Red River, Lo River, Gam River, Ma River basins, large hydropower - irrigation works such as Hoa Binh, Lai Chau, Thac Ba, Na Hang, and Son La. Maintain, protect national parks, nature reserves, landscape protection areas in Muong Te - Muong Nhe, Dien Bien - Son La, Hoang Lien Son, Vietnamese revolutionary base area mountains serving scientific research and ecotourism.

+ For production forests: develop raw material forests, agro-forestry integration models, sustainably cultivate and exploit non-timber forest products; promote community forestry and urban forestry; enhance biodiversity conservation activities, forest environmental services, ecotourism, leisure.

(5) Implement comprehensive solutions combining economic-social development with strengthening the military position in the defense area; manage and protect national defense works and military zones in the region. Propagate and educate to raise awareness for officials, party members, and people about economic-social development closely combined with ensuring national defense, security, and building a nationwide defense position, and a people's security position. Encourage people to comply with State regulations in religious, belief activities. Strengthen national defense, security education, build solid and comprehensive foundations, contributing to establishing a strong people's security posture.

(6) Evaluate the implementation of planning objectives

The ministries, ministerial agencies are responsible for evaluating the implementation results of the regional planning targets (detailed in Appendix I).

More details can be found in Decision 1161/QD-TTg which comes into force in Vietnam from October 11, 2024.

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