Phu Tho Rising in the Flow of Innovation

In the context of the country’s powerful transformation of its growth model, Phu Tho enters a new term with numerous advantages. The merger of three provinces has created an expansive development space and greater potential, positioning Phu Tho as one of the leading localities in terms of economic scale, land area, and population in the region. Its inter-regional central location makes Phu Tho a vital hub on the connecting axis between Hanoi and the Northern provinces. A diverse transportation network—comprising expressways, railways, and waterways—not only expands the economic space but also strongly stimulates trade, logistics, and services. This is a distinct comparative advantage that few localities possess.

The developed transportation network facilitates Phu Tho’s seamless connectivity with the Northern mountainous provinces.

The convergence of three regions with three characteristic strengths further solidifies the province’s foundation for sustainable development. Vinh Phuc with modern FDI industry, Phu Tho with cultural-spiritual tourism and processing industries, and Hoa Binh with organic agriculture, renewable energy, and eco-tourism, all complement each other to create a multi-centric economic structure. During the 2020-2025 period, the average economic growth of the three provinces reached 7.5% per annum, exceeding the national average—a testament to this promising combined potential.

At the workshop “Identifying Potentials and Development Orientations for Phu Tho Province Post-Merger (2025-2030),” Mr. Tran Duy Dong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, stated: "The province aims to build Phu Tho into one of the country’s major industrial centers for high technology, electronics, and the automotive and motorcycle industries, attracting emerging sectors with high added value. We will maximize existing advantages to establish Phu Tho as a premier, branded destination with domestic and international competitiveness in eco-tourism, resorts, cultural-historical tourism associated with festivals, and sports tourism."

Following the merger, the province formed three distinct dynamic zones: The central zone, the nucleus of urban development, education, healthcare, and high-quality services; the eastern zone, a key industrial area with a large-scale industrial park system, serving as a crucial driving force for high-tech industries, supporting industries, and logistics; and the western-southwestern zone, focusing on ecological development, organic agriculture, medicinal plants, hot spring resorts, and community tourism.

In addition to its natural and cultural potential, Phu Tho possesses a young workforce and a quality of education that ranks among the top in the country. This serves as a foundation for the province to promote high-quality human resource training for new technology sectors, manufacturing, and modern services. Digital infrastructure continues to receive investment, with data platforms, high-tech industrial parks, and logistics centers taking shape, paving the way for profound digital transformation and innovation.

High-tech industries, supporting industries, and electronics are prioritized for development. (In the photo: The glass-cutting process at JNTC Vina Co., Ltd., Thuy Van Industrial Park).

Identifying innovation as a consistent pillar and the driver to shift the growth model from breadth to depth, Phu Tho is focusing on key tasks: promoting socio-economic infrastructure development, creating new breakthroughs in inter-regional and intra-regional connectivity, and innovating the growth model associated with economic restructuring. High-tech, supporting, electronic, and precision engineering industries are prioritized, while cultural-historical-ecological tourism and trade-services continue to expand to become spearhead economic sectors. Simultaneously, the province will strongly develop science and technology, especially digital transformation in enterprises and state management agencies; accelerate administrative reform; and build e-government and digital government.

At a working session with the Standing Committees of the Provincial Party Committees of Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh prior to the merger (June 2025), General Secretary To Lam affirmed: "Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh are three lands with three distinct identities, like three cultural-historical-human sources of the Vietnamese nation that have flowed together through thousands of years of national construction and defense. This is the cradle of Vietnamese culture and is now converging and closely bonding in a promising new development space. The link between the industrial plains, the historical midlands, and the ecological mountains not only creates favorable administrative conditions but also opens opportunities to form a highly integrated, multi-centric development model that preserves tradition while looking toward a modern future."

The year 2026 marks the first leg of the new term—a period opening many opportunities and challenges. With a larger scale, higher status, and richer potential, the province targets a GRDP growth rate of 11-12% per year for the 2026-2030 period, with per capita GRDP reaching 220-230 million VND. Phu Tho strives to become the region’s center for industry, trade, logistics, tourism, healthcare, and high-quality training, as well as a destination for hosting national and international events.

Amidst the warm spring atmosphere spreading across the Ancestral Land, a new spring of aspiration and confidence is blossoming. Phu Tho—the ancestral land—is writing its next chapter in the nation’s current of innovation, contributing to a prosperous and sustainable Vietnam.

Viet Ha