Vietnam PM Lê Minh Hưng pushes economic growth and investment in Điện Biên province

On 25 July, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng met with the Standing Committee of the Điện Biên Party Committee and senior ministers to review the province’s economic‑social development plan and the goal of “two‑digit” growth. The province recorded an 8.67 % GRDP increase in the first six months of 2026, surpassing the national average of 8.18 %, with the services sector accounting for 62.35 % of that growth.

The government highlighted that public‑investment disbursement reached 54.3 % of the annual plan, the highest level nationwide. Key projects include the first phase of the Sơn La‑Điện Biên‑Tây Trang highway, upgrades to Điện Biên airport, and the development of a modern border‑trade economy. Administrative reforms under Resolution 57 aim to simplify procedures and improve the investment climate, while a re‑organisation reduced 558 villages and hamlets (38.6 %).

Despite the positive figures, the prime minister warned that Điện Biên’s economy remains modest, contributing only 0.3 % of Vietnam’s GDP. To meet the 11.02 % annual growth target, the province must raise the second‑half growth rate above 13 %. Tourism generated over VND 1,700 billion in revenue and attracted nearly one million visitors, a 20 % rise. The meeting stressed leveraging the historic Điện Biên Phủ legacy, the airport, and border location to become a logistics hub for the north‑west region.