The session was attended by Dang Thi Thu Ha, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the Republic of Türkiye; Counsellor Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan; and Luu Duc Tan, First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye. On the Lao Cai side were members of the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee and leaders of the Provincial People's Committee and the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee.

Speaking with the delegation, Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha reviewed Vietnam - Türkiye cooperation, noting that ties have continued to grow positively across politics, economics, trade, investment, defense, tourism and people-to-people exchange. With its strategic position bridging Europe, Asia and the Middle East, she said, Türkiye holds strong potential to broaden cooperation with Vietnam and its localities.

Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha talked with the Lao Cai working delegation at the session.

On behalf of the delegation, Giang Thi Dung thanked Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha and the embassy staff for their attention, support and time in meeting the delegation in Istanbul during the province's visit to Türkiye.

She gave an overview of Lao Cai's scale and socio-economic development after the merger, and outlined its development priorities across four main pillars: tourism, border-gate economics and logistics, processing industry, and sustainable agriculture. Lao Cai holds strong potential and advantages in tourism resources, cultural identity, distinctive agricultural production, border-gate economics, and its connecting position on the Kunming (China) - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh (Vietnam) economic corridor.

Giang Thi Dung stressed that, with its rich tourism resources, Lao Cai is capitalizing on its natural scenery, climate and the cultural identity of 34 ethnic groups, along with renowned destinations such as Sa Pa, Bac Ha, Y Ty, Mu Cang Chai and Thac Ba Lake, to develop eco-tourism, cultural tourism, community-based tourism, resort tourism and adventure tourism.

Deputy Provincial Party Secretary Giang Thi Dung, Head of the province's National Assembly delegation, speaks at the working session with the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye.

The province is also advancing key transport infrastructure projects - including the standard-gauge Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway, Sa Pa Airport, the expansion of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway section running through the province, and the construction of a smart border gate - creating major advantages for tourism, trade and logistics connectivity.

In agriculture, Lao Cai has many highland specialty products such as cinnamon, ancient tea trees and medicinal herbs. It has established a cinnamon-growing area of more than 144,000 hectares and a medicinal-herb area of nearly 9,000 hectares - a foundation for expanding cooperation in processing, trade and product promotion.

Giang Thi Dung said one of the key goals of the Türkiye trip was to survey and learn from the tourism development and sustainable management of renowned destinations such as Istanbul and Cappadocia, and to study models of building distinctive tourism products, managing destinations, promoting image and attracting international visitors. These lessons are highly relevant as Lao Cai works to make tourism a spearhead economic sector, improve service quality and expand its international visitor markets.

Deputy Provincial Party Secretary Giang Thi Dung presented a souvenir to the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye.

She suggested the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye to keep helping connect Lao Cai with relevant Turkish agencies, localities, associations, businesses and partners, and to introduce cooperation opportunities in tourism, services, logistics, agricultural processing, workforce training, digital transformation in tourism and tourism-service infrastructure. Lao Cai also hopes the embassy will help promote its image through diplomatic events, cultural and tourism promotion activities, trade fairs, business forums and suitable information channels.

In tourism, Lao Cai hopes to strengthen ties with Turkish tourism associations, travel firms, media outlets and investors to showcase its distinctive tourism products - especially mountain resort, eco, community-based, cultural and adventure tourism, and experiential offerings tied to Sa Pa, Bac Ha, Y Ty, Mu Cang Chai and Thac Ba Lake. The province is also keen to exchange experience with Turkish partners in destination branding, developing signature tourism products and running promotion activities in international markets - gradually expanding its visitor base and improving local tourism-service quality.

Leveraging its highland agriculture, the province hopes to cooperate in producing and deep-processing cinnamon products to raise the crop's value and expand export opportunities, while learning from experience in harvesting, processing and developing medicinal-herb products.

Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha praised Lao Cai for proactively sending a delegation to Türkiye to survey, learn and seek new cooperation opportunities. Having visited Sa Pa several times, she expressed a strong impression of its natural scenery and tourism potential, and said Lao Cai's strengths in eco, cultural and community-based tourism hold much promise for connecting with the Turkish market. The Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye, she added, will continue to accompany and support the province in connecting partners, promoting its image and advancing practical cooperation opportunities with Turkish partners.

The ambassador suggested Lao Cai consider sending a delegation to a tourism fair in Türkiye in September - an event drawing many tourism associations, travel firms and international partners - combined with roadshows and activities promoting Vietnamese and Lao Cai tourism to the Turkish market. Türkiye has many large, renowned tourism cities such as Antalya, she noted, with well-organized, high-quality tourism services that offer valuable references for Lao Cai as it improves its tourism products and services.

The Lao Cai working delegation posed for a photo with Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye.

Giang Thi Dung affirmed that Lao Cai will keep proactively expanding its external relations, international integration and cooperation promotion with foreign partners. The province is committed to facilitating connections and cooperation between Turkish agencies, organizations, associations and businesses and the province's localities and enterprises. She also expressed hope for the embassy's continued support in sharing information, introducing partners and advancing substantive cooperation opportunities.

The session was held in a warm, open and productive atmosphere, helping strengthen ties between Lao Cai and the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye. In closing, Giang Thi Dung invited Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha and embassy staff to organize a delegation - together with several Turkish agencies and partners - to visit and work in Lao Cai at a suitable time.

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