Lai Châu province is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Vietnam, and it shares a border with China.

[7][8] It became part of the Northwest Autonomous Area of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975, when Lai Châu province was formed.

"Chu" (rendered in Tai as จุ or in the longer form เจ้า,) derives from Middle Chinese 主 (ćǘ) "master."

In 2007, Hanoi's industrial output (before its merger with Hà Tây province) was 93 times that of Lai Châu.

Lai Châu's main agricultural products (in 2007) are rice (99,900 t), maize (35,000 t), cassava (48,900 t) and tea (16,532 t).

Lai Châu has a relatively large forestry sector with an output of 176.3 billion đồngs in 2007.

Vietnam's central government signed an agreement in October 2010 to supply Japan with rare-earth elements[11] from Lai Châu province.

[12] This is part of Japan's efforts to diversify its supply of rare earths and decrease its dependence on imports from China.