The event, co-organised by the Northwest Steering Committee, the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV), Minister of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Son La province, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern region; Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong; and leaders of ministries, departments and 17 cities and provinces across the country.

Moc Chau Plateau is located in Son La province, 180 kilometers from Ha Noi. Under the plan, the Moc Chau National Tourism Zone, covering 206,150 hectares in Moc Chau and Van Ho districts, will be built into a key area for developing tourism in Son La in particular and the whole northern midland and mountainous region in general.

The zone will include three key tourism centres namely the Moc Chau convalescence centre, the Moc Chau eco-tourism centre and the Moc Chau recreational centre. It will feature diversified and unique tourism products with high competitiveness in combination with natural landscapes and ethnic cultural identities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy PM Phuc stressed that the Northwest area has huge potential for the development of agriculture, forestry, hydropower, mining, tourism and border economy, and has a decisive role in the ecological environment of the entire northern region. He said the Northwest is home to many ethnic groups with unique cultural identities. The Northwest is a strategic area of special importance to economy, society, defence, security and development of the country, according to Deputy PM Phuc. The Deputy PM also urged Son La to complete mechanisms and policies, to improve the quality of local human resources, and to introduce and promote local potentials. At the ceremony, Governor of the SBV presented a gift worth VND 128 billion to the Northwest region to support social security works in the region.