President Truong Tan Sang has asked the local authorities in Dien Bien province to create the right conditions to attract more investment into the local infrastructure as well as improve its community’s standard of living.

The President stated this during a meeting with key officials from the northwestern province on April 16.

He stressed that along with economic development, Dien Bien needs to focus more on national defence, security and social order. It should well implement ethnic and religious policies and strengthen the grassroots political system.

At the meeting, the President was informed of the province’s socio-economic development in 2011, as its GDP in 2011 had risen by 10 percent over the previous year and its policies to reduce poverty have lowered the current rate to 4.73 percent.

Dien Bien province also focused on implementing projects on transport, agriculture, irrigation, afforestation, relocating local people to make way for the Son La hydro-power plant and reducing poverty in four poor districts.

It also promoted international cooperation with its neighbouring provinces in Laos and China, which has strengthened ties and helped to ensure defence, security and social order.-VNA