On May 24, 2025, at the Lai Chau Provincial Conference Center, the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy – Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the People's Committee of Lai Chau province, organized the opening ceremony of the series of events "Promoting regional linkages in e-commerce development – Elevating products of the Northern Midlands and mountainous region".
The event was attended by representatives from central government agencies, leaders of provinces in the Northern Midlands and mountainous region, as well as departments, industry associations, e-commerce businesses, logistics businesses, training organizations, and technology experts. In addition, the event attracted more than 100 exemplary cooperatives, business households, and production units from the region, along with over 300 delegates from businesses, cooperatives, business households, and trade promotion organizations.
E-commerce – An inevitable driving force in the national digital transformation.
In her opening remarks at the conference, Ms. Le Hoang Oanh, Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, emphasized: “Digital transformation is no longer an option but has become an essential requirement. E-commerce is one of the key pillars to promote comprehensive digital transformation in localities, especially in disadvantaged areas such as the Northern Midlands and Mountains.”
According to the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, Vietnam's e-commerce is experiencing rapid growth, making a significant contribution to domestic consumption, business model innovation, and connecting production with the market. However, the development gap in e-commerce between regions remains large. While major cities have formed a fairly comprehensive e-commerce ecosystem, in many mountainous and midland provinces, the application of technology in production, distribution, and consumption of products is still limited due to infrastructure, human resources, and traditional business practices.
To bridge the digital divide and leverage the unique advantages of each region, promoting regional linkages in e-commerce development has become a major policy, in line with the government's digital economy development orientation. E-commerce is not only an effective consumption channel but also a driving force for innovating production thinking, enhancing product value, and sustainably expanding markets.
Ms. Le Hoang Oanh, Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, Ministry of Industry and Trade
“The Northern Midlands and Mountains region is one of the most promising areas in the country, with a diverse cultural and ecological ecosystem, endemic resources such as Shan Tuyet tea, Seng Cu rice, mint honey, precious medicinal herbs, brocade products, and traditional handicrafts... This is a land rich in cultural identity, with a diverse ethnic community and a strong spirit of progress. With such abundant potential, to optimize these advantages, we need a strong ‘connecting link’ between regions. E-commerce is that ‘link’,” affirmed the Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy.
Enhancing digital business capabilities for the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region.
With the aim of addressing these challenges, at the opening ceremony, the Center for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (eComDX) signed a memorandum of cooperation with leading e-commerce platform businesses, including Shopee, TikTok Vietnam, and representatives from the Departments of Industry and Trade of provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region (Lai Chau, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Yen Bai, Dien Bien).
Representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the People's Committee of Lai Chau province and the Departments of Industry and Trade of various provinces and cities, representatives from several e-commerce businesses, the E-commerce Association, and Hanoi Law University witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding.
This signing ceremony will mark an important starting point for establishing an effective coordination mechanism between state management agencies and platform businesses. The goal is to support the implementation of digital skills training activities, develop e-commerce infrastructure, and promote the advertising and consumption of local products on digital platforms. Through this, the memorandum of understanding will contribute to accelerating digital transformation and enhancing digital business capabilities for the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region.
The memorandum of understanding is not only a significant milestone in the development of e-commerce in the region, but also demonstrates the strong commitment of government agencies and businesses to promoting digital transformation towards sustainable development.
Activities under this memorandum of understanding will help build a strong and competitive e-commerce business environment, creating more opportunities for businesses in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region.
The Northern Midlands and Mountains – A region rich in potential that needs to be unlocked by digital technology.
The Northern Midlands and mountainous region is one of the areas with great potential for e-commerce development, thanks to its diverse ecosystem and abundant products such as Shan Tuyet tea, Seng Cu rice, mint honey, Lai Chau ginseng, precious medicinal herbs, brocade, and traditional handicrafts. However, the lack of regional linkages, limited logistics infrastructure, and uneven digital skills are major obstacles preventing many highland products from accessing the wider market.
E-commerce, with its unlimited connectivity potential, is the "linking thread" that helps bridge regional gaps and promotes the integration of production, consumption, technology, and logistics throughout the region. This is also the overarching goal of this series of events: to strengthen cooperation, share experiences, and promote a sustainable development model for the region.
The event was large-scale and had rich content.
The series of events will take place from May 24th to 25th, 2025, and will include the following main activities:
The regional conference on e-commerce development and regional linkages, with the participation of central and local leaders and leading businesses; an exhibition of characteristic products and digital technologies with more than 50 booths from provinces in the region and technology companies; a thematic workshop on digital transformation and e-commerce; e-commerce training for cooperatives, business households, and young entrepreneurs; and a live stream session promoting highland specialty products on digital platforms, connecting sellers and buyers online.
Through these activities, the event not only provides knowledge, tools, and skills for applying e-commerce but also facilitates the nationwide promotion of local specialty products.
Four groups of strategic solutions were proposed.
At the conference, representatives from the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy proposed four strategic solution groups to build a sustainable regional e-commerce ecosystem:
1.完善政策，以完善政策，以同正利 ...
2. Applying digital technology to support product development, traceability, enhance connectivity, and protect local brands;
3. Develop digital logistics and distribution infrastructure, especially in remote and rural areas;
4. Enhance local digital capabilities through training and technical support for businesses, household businesses, and local management officials.
This is considered a crucial foundation for realizing the model of "each specialty product is a digital brand," making e-commerce a true tool for creating livelihoods, increasing value, and spreading the culture of the highlands.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Giang A Tinh, Vice Chairman of the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee, said that the province has strongly developed many concentrated commodity production areas such as tea, macadamia nuts, cinnamon, rubber, and especially the rare Lai Chau ginseng. To date, Lai Chau has 222 OCOP products achieving 3 stars or higher, reflecting the development in quality and brand. Tourism and agriculture are two key economic sectors, playing an important role in promoting e-commerce in the province.
However, Lai Chau still faces challenges regarding digital infrastructure, human resources, and traditional business practices. Nevertheless, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and major enterprises such as Viettel Post, VNPost, and TikTok Vietnam, the province is gradually overcoming these obstacles. This event is an opportunity to promote Lai Chau's agricultural products, OCOP (One Commune One Product) program, and culture through reputable digital platforms.
Leaders of the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee affirmed that hosting this series of events not only demonstrates the province's pioneering role in the digital transformation process but also reflects the province's commitment to creating favorable conditions for businesses, cooperatives, and local people to apply digital technology to production and business, thereby gradually integrating into the national digital economy.
Connect – Spread – Sustainable Development
Within the framework of the event series, many rich and practical contents with high impact were held, such as: workshops and conferences with the participation of experts in the fields of e-commerce and digital technology; a Mega Livestream session via the Tiktopshop platform; training and workshops with practical application for cooperatives, business households, young entrepreneurs; and Livestream sessions promoting highland products, connecting directly with consumers nationwide through digital platforms.
A notable highlight of the event was the exhibition of digital technology models and regional specialty products with 50 booths. This exhibition not only showcased highland specialty products but also introduced many advanced digital technology solutions in e-commerce, tailored to the specific conditions of mountainous provinces. Specifically, the technology solutions included e-commerce management platforms, online payment tools, and online export support systems, helping to promote the development of the local digital economy.
The series of events "Promoting regional linkages in e-commerce development – Elevating products from the Northern Midlands and mountainous regions" is a concrete implementation of the Party and Government's major policy on developing the digital economy in conjunction with regional linkages and building new rural areas.
The event not only serves as a starting point for e-commerce cooperation models in mountainous regions, but also creates momentum to spread awareness and action, contributing to building a foundation for sustainable development for the region and the entire country.
