Hanoi, March 24 -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised the need to align socio-economic development with the task of ensuring national defence and security while presiding over a conference on ensuring security and order to support socio-economic development in the northwestern region and surrounding areas on March 24. He reaffirmed that the northwestern region holds a specially important strategic position in terms of politics, socio-economy, national defence, security, ecological environment, and foreign relations. He highlighted its role as the "northern gateway" of the country, directly linked to the cause of building and safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Party and State have devoted significant at...