Northern Lao Cai province, which borders China, targets becoming a development hub of the northern region and an important center for links between Vietnam and China, ASEAN member countries, and Europe, with a modern and comprehensive infrastructure network.

This is part of the province’s master planning for the 2021-2030 period with a vision towards 2050, which was approved under Prime Ministerial Decision No. 316/QD-TTg dated March 29, 2023, and announced by the Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee on April 12.

Covering an area of 6,364.03 sq km, Lao Cai consists of nine district-level administrative areas - Lao Cai city, Sa Pa town, and seven districts.

During the 2021-2030 period, it targets being ranked among the country’s top 10 local-level economies with the highest GRDP per capita, and becoming a center of tourism, services, and manufacturing and processing in Vietnam.

By 2030, it strives to develop into a center of the northern region and the country as a whole in terms of tourism, border gate economy, services, and manufacturing and processing.