Lai Chau Focuses on Trade Promotion

As the border province has great advantages to promote trade and service for socio-economic development, Lai Chau Trade and Tourism Department is implementing a plan for the development of a commercial centre in Lao Chau town and Ma Lu Thang border economic zone. It will help promote trade, service, tourism and export activities of the province.

 

According to Mr Nguyen Van Dinh, Director of the Department, in spite of many difficulties, Lai Chau trade and tourism have recorded some progress in recent years. The import-export through the province was worth US$63.14 million in 2005. In 2006, Lai Chau itself contributed US$4.5 million in export and US$3 million in import. Main export items are tea, cardamom and pulp.

 

Trade and service have created more jobs, especially menial jobs, contributing to the programme of poverty reduction and social welfare. The Department has also applied reduction in price and transport fees for remote areas and ethnic minorities. Currently, the province has over 100 enterprises and 2,000 business households engaging in trade and service.

 

To promote trade and import-export activities, the Department has developed a website providing information on potentials of the province for socio-economic development as well as trade and tourism activities. Trade fairs have been organized regularly to promote the meeting and exchanges between local and foreign businesses, especially trade fairs organized in November 2004, February 2006, and the coming trade fair on Vietnamese brands in January 2007.

 

The Department has developed border economy exporting tea, cardamom, pulp, minerals, etc. There are some success stories such as Than Uyen Tea Company with an annual turnover of VND20-30 billion and tea export of 1,700-2,000 tonnes a year, Luong Viet Co., Ltd with an annual turnover of more than VND20 billion for minerals processing and export.

 

To promote further trade and service, the Department needs the assistance and support of related authorities and organizations in capital, infrastructure and preferential treatment, especially for border trade and economy.

 

The achievements recorded in recent years show that Lai Chau can attract more local and foreign investments to tap the resources for socio-economic development.