General Secretary To Lam works with Quang Tri’s leaders

As part of his ongoing visit to Quang Tri Province, General Secretary and State President To Lam on October 16 met the Quang Tri Provincial Party Standing Committee to review the implementation of the resolutions the 13th National Party Congress and the 17th Provincial Party Congress.

General Secretary and State President To Lam works with Quang Tri’s officials on Octorber 16. Photos: Tran Tuyen

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense; Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security; Le Quang Tung, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Vo Van Hung, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee.

General Secretary and President To Lam presents a gift to Quang Tri.

Socio-economic achievements

Quang Tri is on track to meet 11 out of 15 socio-economic targets set at its 17th Provincial Party Congress, with an aim to be in the upper-middle income group by 2025 and among the top provinces by 2030. To make the goals possible, the province focused on three key sectors: energy, agriculture, and tourism.

From 2021 to 2023, the province’s GRDP grew at an average of 6.79%. GRDP per capita is expected to reach VND85 million (US$3,400) by 2025. Social investment capital is forecast to hit VND134 trillion ($5.35 billion) and state budget revenue is set to surpass VND22.4 trillion.

The province has attracted total investment of VND25 trillion ($1.1 billion) in infrastructure, including My Thuy Port, Quang Tri Airport, and renewable energy projects. Meanwhile, renewable energy capacity has tripled to with 1,119 MW.

In the past years, Quang Tri has also hosted major cultural events like the Festival for Peace, while maintaining political stability, social order, and national defense.

To meet the goals set for the 17th Provincial Party Congress and the 2021-2025 socio-economic plan, Nguyen Dang Quang, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, urged the Politburo and General Secretary to guide Quang Tri in strengthening Party building, innovating leadership, and enhancing leadership capacity. He also requested support for preparations for upcoming Party congress and the implementation of Politburo’s directives.

Nguyen Dang Quang, Head of the People’s Council, speaks at the meeting.

Strengthening cooperation with Lao localities

To enhance cooperation with Lao provinces and develop a logistics center for central and southern Laos, Nguyen Dang Quang, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the People’s Council asked the Politburo and General Secretary for guidance on East-West transportation projects and support for Vietnamese businesses investing in Laos. He proposed early implementation of pilot cross-border economic zone model at Lao Bao-Densavan, with potential expansion to other border areas.

He called for budget support to establish a national museum dedicated to the "Memory of War and the Aspiration for Peace." He also requested the delegation to consider adding special allowances for revolution contributors affected by toxic chemicals or imprisoned by the enemy to the Ordinance on Preferential Treatment for Revolution Contributors, and suggested decentralizing certain policies to the local level for timely responses.

Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee Vo Van Hung at the meeting.

Supporting local projects

At the meeting, he requested the central agencies to allocate budget for a new campus in the province’s Le Duan Political School which was built 80 years ago.

To help Quang Tri achieve its goal of becoming a regional energy hub by 2030, he asked the government to support the inclusion of additional wind, solar, gas, and LNG projects in the National Power Plan VIII. He also proposed piloting offshore wind power development around Con Co Island to ensure local electricity supply and boost tourism, alongside establishing a logistics center for the island’s fishing industry.

He urged the government to prioritize the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone and include it among coastal economic zones targeted for investment between 2025 and 2030. Additionally, he sought support from the government, relevant ministries, and PetroVietnam for Quang Tri to receive gas from the Ken Bau gas field and surrounding blocks, facilitating land access in the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone. He also requested assistance in developing infrastructure for projects like My Thuy Port and Quang Tri Airport.

To enhance the East-West Economic Corridor, Provincial Party Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Committee Vo Van Hung hopes the government’s fund to the completion of National Highway 15D and prioritize the Cam Lo – Lao Bao Expressway in the 2026-2030 plan.

He also sought support for transforming Quang Tri’s Festival for Peace into a recognized national and international brand, positioning the province as a future peace destination.

On this occasion, Hung requested assistance from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs to aid 3,270 poor and near-poor households in building or upgrading houses, as well as restoring the provincial martyrs' cemetery system.

Quang Tri, which is home to Hue University’s branch and Quang Tri College of Education, proposed merging the two institutions into a member university of Hue University. While studying the establishment of a University of Technical Pedagogy, Vo Van Hung asked the Ministry of Education and Training to expedite the merger plan or allow collaboration between Quang Tri College of Education and private universities.

General Secretary and President To Lam speaks at the meeting.

Strengthening social welfare

General Secretary To Lam commended Quang Tri’s achievements. He urged further investment in transportation infrastructure, maximizing renewable energy resources, and planning industrial zones. He highlighted the need for training high-quality human resources to meet development demands.

He also suggested strengthening ties with Laos, boosting cooperation and investment in border areas, and facilitating Quang Tri’s development as a logistics hub for both Vietnam and Laos.

Lastly, he called for the promotion of local patriotic emulation movements, particularly strengthening social welfare for the families of those who served the country.

Tran Tuyen – Linh Pham