Moc Chau town center, Moc Chau district.

Moc Chau is a gateway city connecting the Northwest mountainous region with Hanoi and the Northern Delta region via the vital National Highway 6 and National Highway 43. It serves as a center for tourism, culture, ecology, and recreation within the Moc Chau National Tourist Area; a center for technology transfer, high-tech industry and agriculture, and agricultural product manufacturing and processing in the province. Moc Chau is also an important commercial center on the Northwest economic corridor, linked to the economic and trade development of the Long Sap international border gate, effectively connecting with the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

In implementing Resolution No. 10-NQ/TU of the 15th Congress of the Son La Provincial Party Committee and Resolution No. 10-NQ/TU of the Standing Committee of the Son La Provincial Party Committee on building Moc Chau district into a town by 2025, the People's Committee of Moc Chau district has coordinated with relevant departments, agencies, and units to organize the preparation and submission for approval of plans, programs, and projects, including: the General Urban Plan of Moc Chau until 2040; the Moc Chau Urban Development Program until 2030; and the proposal to recognize Moc Chau as a town meeting the criteria of a type IV urban area and to assess the level of urban infrastructure development in the area where wards are planned to be established within Moc Chau town.

The goal is to develop Moc Chau into a green city with a synchronous, modern, and smart infrastructure; possessing the unique cultural identity, natural landscape, and climate of the highlands; and achieving sustainable and comprehensive development. It aims to be a national-level tourist city; a center for socio-economic development of the province; a center for the production, processing, and transfer of high-tech agriculture in a circular, environmentally friendly manner. It is also a border city linked to the development of international border trade; and holds a strategic and important position in terms of national defense and security.

Moc Chau Island tourist area is located in Muong Sang commune, Moc Chau district.

Mr. Le Trong Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Moc Chau District, stated: The establishment of a plan to recognize Moc Chau as a Type IV urban area and to assess the level of urban infrastructure development in the area slated for the establishment of a ward within Moc Chau town is an essential requirement, consistent with the Son La Provincial Planning to 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Resolution of the Son La Provincial Party Congress, and the Resolution of the Moc Chau District Party Congress. This serves as a foundation for Moc Chau to boost investment and development in the future; it also acknowledges the efforts made by the Party Committee, government, and people of Moc Chau District in building and developing the area..

The road from the Tien Tien sub-district intersection to National Highway 43 in Moc Chau Farm Town has just been completed and put into use.

 Building a green Moc Chau city.

The project to recognize Moc Chau as a Type IV urban area includes the following criteria: location, function, role, structure and level of socio-economic development; population size; population density; percentage of non-agricultural labor; level of infrastructure development and urban landscape architecture. During the implementation of these criteria, Moc Chau district faced certain difficulties and pressures in administrative management, social order and safety, construction order, planning, architecture, infrastructure, land resource utilization, etc.

On the other hand, Moc Chau's mountainous terrain is fragmented and features many high mountains, so urban development is concentrated in the two towns (which have been recognized as type IV urban areas) and extends to three neighboring communes (which are part of the core development area of ​​the national tourism zone); the remaining communes in the outskirts continue to develop agriculture and forestry, creating ecological spaces to support the development of ecotourism in Moc Chau town.

Leveraging its potential and strengths, with the goal of building a green Moc Chau urban area with a synchronous, modern, and smart infrastructure, reflecting the unique cultural identity, natural landscape, and climate of the plateau; and achieving sustainable and comprehensive development. From 2020 to the present, based on approved plans, Son La province and Moc Chau district have focused on mobilizing and integrating resources to invest in and develop infrastructure, gradually completing and improving the urban criteria recognized in 2019.

To date, six projects decided by the Provincial People's Committee have been completed, and eight projects related to the development of Moc Chau urban infrastructure, also decided by the Provincial People's Committee, are currently underway. In addition, four projects decided by the Moc Chau District People's Committee have been completed, and six projects are currently being implemented, contributing to meeting the targets and criteria of a type IV urban area.

Construction is underway on the main urban arterial road project in Moc Chau.

The Moc Chau Urban Main Road Project, spanning 10 km, is one of the key projects currently being implemented by the district, connecting two towns and tourist destinations within the area. This project passes through the territory of Muong Sang commune, Moc Chau town, and Moc Chau Agricultural Farm town. The project's land acquisition area covers 35.8 hectares, affecting approximately 600 households, including 150 households with residential land and houses on it. To date, the district has approved compensation and support in 36 phases for 325 affected households.

Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thuy, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Moc Chau town, said: "In implementing the project, Moc Chau town has 258 households affected by land clearance. To ensure the project's progress, the People's Committee of the town has been disseminating legal documents on land clearance to the people so they understand and agree with the process. At the same time, we have encouraged households to cooperate and proactively submit land ownership documents and related legal documents to serve as the basis for preparing dossiers according to regulations, contributing to ensuring the project's timely completion."

Through the process of investing in and developing urban infrastructure in Moc Chau, the appearance of the district, from urban to rural areas, has been changing positively. The people are enthusiastic and united in contributing to building a civilized urban lifestyle and maintaining a bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment.

The inter-ministerial working group surveyed and assessed the criteria for a type IV urban area and the level of infrastructure for the planned establishment of wards.
Located in Moc Chau town.

Realizing the aspiration to rise

After 5 years of implementing urban development according to the approved plan, Moc Chau district has achieved many accomplishments in socio-economic development. The economy has shifted towards increasing the proportion of tourism and trade services, urbanization has accelerated, and the infrastructure system has been invested in and built in a modern and synchronized manner according to the standards of a type IV urban area; the area planned for the establishment of a ward has met the criteria for a ward, and the quality of healthcare, education, and commercial services has been improved to meet the needs of urban residents.

The average economic growth rate over the past three years reached 7.41%; the economic structure is developing towards an increasing proportion of industry, trade, and services; the current poverty rate according to the multidimensional poverty standard in urban areas is 3.47%; the proportion of non-agricultural labor in the entire urban area reached 55.7%; the proportion of solid housing reached 99.8%; the proportion of illuminated streets reached 98.2%; the proportion of urban population supplied with clean water through a centralized water supply system and using hygienic water sources reached 100%; the proportion of administrative procedures processed through online public services reached 70.7%...

With decisive and coordinated leadership from the Party Committee and government, and leveraging the strength of unity, innovation, democracy, and responsibility of each official, Party member, and citizen, on October 22, 2024, the National Urban Classification Council unanimously voted to approve the proposal to recognize Moc Chau as a Type IV urban area with a score of 86.6/100 points; 100% of the Council members approved the report assessing the level of urban infrastructure development in the area where the wards are planned to be established within Moc Chau urban area.

Besides the achievements, Moc Chau town still has some standards that have not been met or have received low scores. In the coming time, Moc Chau district will continue to develop a plan to focus resources on gradually completing the remaining and weak standards to gradually complete all criteria as prescribed; at the same time, the district will continue to balance resources to further improve the criteria in depth, maximizing urban amenities for the people.

The recognition of Moc Chau as a type IV urban area will serve as a basis and prerequisite for it to become a town, in accordance with Resolution No. 10-NQ/TU of the Standing Committee of the Son La Provincial Party Committee. This is not only a step forward in improving the quality of life for the people, but also a solid foundation for developing Moc Chau into a modern city, playing an important role in the socio-economic development strategy of Son La province and the Northwest region.

Source: Son La Newspaper