The 16th Congress of the Son La Provincial Party Committee, for the 2025-2030 term, will take place over three days from September 27-29. Looking back over the past five years, the province's socio-economic development has seen significant progress; in particular, per capita income has increased 1.5 times compared to the beginning of the term.

The aforementioned achievements demonstrate the correct leadership, courage, and creativity of the Party Committee; and at the same time reflect the strength of unity and high determination of the entire political system and the people of all ethnic groups in Son La province.

On the eve of the 16th Provincial Party Congress, Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh, Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee, had an exchange with a VOV reporter about the province's achievements and future directions, confidently ushering Son La into a new era – an era of national progress.

PV:Sir, during the 2020-2025 term, both the country and the Son La Provincial Party Committee have made many remarkable achievements in realizing development goals. Could you please tell us about these remarkable achievements of Son La province?

Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh:Over the past five years, Son La province's economy has continued to maintain growth, with an average growth rate of 5.12% per year; the size of the economy in 2025 is estimated to reach over 82,780 billion VND, 1.5 times that of 2020; and the average GRDP per capita is over 62 million VND, 1.4 times that of 2020.

Socio-economic infrastructure has made breakthroughs. During the term, construction began on the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway section within Son La province. The province has supplemented the planning and submitted to the Ministry of Transport a plan for the socialization of investment and operation of Na San Airport; and completed the goal of paving 100% of roads leading to commune centers. The urbanization rate of the entire province is estimated to reach approximately 20.6% by the end of 2025, exceeding the target set by the Provincial Party Congress.

 

Son La province has completed the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses 5 months ahead of the government's deadline.

The poverty rate according to the poverty standard for the 2021-2025 period decreased from 21.66% in 2021 to approximately 7.89% in 2025, an average reduction of 3.59% per year, exceeding the target set in the resolution. In particular, the work of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses was carried out decisively and effectively. During the term, the entire province completed the support for eliminating nearly 13,000 temporary and dilapidated houses, achieving the goal 5 months ahead of the government's directive. Along with this, the work of Party building and the political system has seen many innovations. The administrative apparatus has been streamlined, operating effectively and efficiently.

It can be said that the above results are special milestones in achieving development goals, demonstrating the correct, decisive, and creative leadership of the Party Committee, while also showing the strength of unity and high determination of the entire political system and people of all ethnic groups, creating a solid foundation for Son La to enter a new stage of development.

PV:Cadres are the foundation of all work. During the past term, how did Son La province prioritize cadre work through concrete actions?

Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh:Son La province has always recognized that cadres and cadre work are exceptionally important factors. Therefore, during the past term, the Provincial Party Committee consistently focused on building a team of cadres, considering this a central and continuous task, ensuring the principle of "the Party's unified leadership in cadre work and management of the cadre team, coupled with promoting the responsibility of organizations and the heads of organizations within the political system."

In this context, the province has focused on leading and directing research, concretizing and promulgating a system of documents on the work of building a contingent of cadres; concretizing the standards for cadre positions, promoting decentralization, cadre management, and the appointment and nomination of candidates as a basis for synchronized and unified implementation throughout the entire Party organization.

 

Over the past five years, Son La province has demolished nearly 13,000 temporary and dilapidated houses for its residents.

Secondly, focus on building a team of cadres at all levels, especially Party secretaries and leaders at all levels, who possess sufficient qualities, capabilities, and prestige to match their responsibilities; ensuring a balanced representation of ethnic groups, genders, and ages, especially ethnic minority cadres, female cadres, and young cadres.

Thirdly, focus on effectively carrying out the work of evaluating, training, developing, planning, assigning, and utilizing cadres to ensure stability, continuity, development, and a solid transition between generations of cadres; resolutely screen and remove from Party committees at all levels, or dismiss or allow to resign, those cadres who do not meet job requirements or violate the law and Party discipline; at the same time, focus on implementing the policy of encouraging and protecting dynamic and creative cadres for the common good.

PV:Specifically, how has the province recently implemented the arrangement of personnel to operate the two-tiered local government system to ensure that the requirements are met? To date, what changes have been observed in the province's personnel management?

Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh:In implementing the Central Committee's policy on deploying a two-tiered local government model, the Son La Provincial Party Committee and its Standing Committee have led and directed the urgent deployment and arrangement of cadres to meet job requirements and to be capable of taking on new tasks as soon as the new organizational structure comes into operation.

Specifically, nine Provincial Party Committee members, including heads of departments and secretaries of district, town, and city Party committees, were assigned to serve as secretaries of newly established commune-level Party committees; 79 provincial-level officials were seconded or assigned to key leadership positions at the commune level; and nearly 5,000 positions for cadres, civil servants, and public employees were allocated to 75 communes and wards in the province.

Overall, the quality of the province's staff has been steadily improving, ensuring a rational structure and gradually standardizing according to regulations, meeting the requirements of the tasks in the new situation.

PV:During the 2025-2030 term, what will be the key breakthroughs identified by Son La province? Specifically, what specific mechanisms will the province develop to achieve breakthroughs in the coming years, so that it can confidently join other localities nationwide in entering a new era – an era of national progress?

Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh:Entering the 2025-2030 term, the 16th Congress of the Son La Provincial Party Committee identified three strategic breakthroughs, considering them the key to unlocking new opportunities and driving forces for development.

Firstly, we must strengthen efforts to attract, train, and utilize talent. We need to build a truly exemplary team of cadres and leaders at all levels, especially those at the top who possess strong political acumen, sufficient qualities, capabilities, innovative thinking, prestige, and are up to the task. They should have the spirit of "daring to think, daring to speak, daring to act, daring to take responsibility, daring to innovate, daring to confront difficulties and challenges, and daring to act for the common good."

Son La province has always prioritized the training of young cadres, female cadres, and cadres from ethnic minorities.

Secondly, priority should be given to developing inter-regional transportation infrastructure to create momentum for socio-economic development; developing agricultural infrastructure, tourism infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and infrastructure for industrial zones and clusters.

Thirdly, we need to accelerate digital transformation in the political system; build and establish a digital government with a digital service system; widely deploy smart urban services; and develop a rapid and sustainable digital economy and digital society.

To realize the goals set for the 2025-2030 term, Son La will proactively improve its system of mechanisms and policies to overcome difficulties, effectively exploit potential and advantages, and create momentum to promote socio-economic development. This will include a strong focus on developing policies to attract investment into key industries, sectors, and products, as well as disadvantaged areas of the province; supporting research, application, and transfer of science and technology into production and daily life; encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship; along with preferential policies for the development of high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, and green tourism;…

With strong political determination, along with three key breakthroughs and appropriate mechanisms and policies, Son La is confident that it will make a strong breakthrough and join the rest of the country in the new era of national development.

PV:Thank you very much, sir.