Dien Bien (VNA) – The northwestern province of Dien Bien on May 6 held a ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory that ended the French colonial rule in Vietnam (May 7).

The event also aims to celebrate the 110th founding anniversary of Dien Bien province (June 28) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the provincial Party Committee (October 10).

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong lauded the achievements that Dien Bien has recorded across multiple spheres over the years.

She urged the locality to pay more attention to healthcare, education, and culture and optimise its advantages towards becoming a middle-class province in the northwestern region by 2020.

Dien Bien should focus on trade; services; tourism, especially cultural, historical, and ecological tourism; and infrastructure development, particularly in the transport sector, thus turning Dien Bien Phu into a second-tier city, the legislator said.

Additionally, the province needs to step up efforts in protecting national border sovereignty, handling illegal missionary and free migration activities, streamlining administrative procedures, and combating corruption.  

Other important tasks include the maintenance of its special friendship with the northern Lao provinces, while expanding relations with China and Thailand, building a common border of friendship, cooperation, and development, Phong noted.

In his remarks, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Van Son briefed the audience on the foundations and development of the province, formerly known Lai Chau.

Dien Bien was created by dividing the former Lai Chai province in early 2004.

He highlighted the locality’s marked achievements over the years, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing 11.6 percent annually during 2005-2010, and 9.11 percent between 2010 and 2015.  

The locality’s budget collection was nearly 9.6 trillion VND (412.8 million USD) in 2018, 12.2 times higher than figures from four years ago; while its per capita income hit 26.37 million VND (1,133  USD), seven times higher than 2004, he said.

Significant progress has also been seen in culture-society, education, and training, the official said.

With its outstanding performance, Dien Bien has received many prestigious prizes and titles presented by the Party and State, including the first-class Independence Order given to the province on this occasion.

Son also recalled the developments of the Dien Bien Phu campaign and underlined the significance of the Dien Bien Phu victory 65 years ago.

Earlier the same day, NA Vice Chairwoman Phong, head of the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission Vo Van Thuong, and other high-ranking  officials paid tribute to martyrs at the A1 Cemetery and laid wreaths at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument. –VNA