Lao Cai (VNA) – The first Red River Festival 2025 officially opened in the northern border province of Lao Cai on November 19, bringing together localities along the Red River in Vietnam and Honghe prefecture of China's Yunnan province.
Held under the theme “Where the Red River flows into Vietnam”, the festival marks a new step in cross-border cultural cooperation and the launch of Lao Cai's 2025–2035 Red River Festival plan.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Secretary of the Lao Cai Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the festival is an important cultural, economic, and diplomatic event designed to honour the history, culture, and civilisation of the Red River, nurture national pride, and promote the tradition of gratitude expression.
He added that the event also helps deepen socio-economic cooperation and expand friendship between the Vietnamese localities along the Red River and China’s Yunnan province.
Running from November 18 to 24 in Lao Cai and Cam Duong wards, as well as various places in Lao Cai province, the festival offers a diverse programme covering culture, tourism, trade and sports.
Visitors can explore cultural spaces of ethnic groups, learn about the Red River heritage via exhibitions of photos, artefacts and tourism products, and explore traditional rituals, folk songs, dances, and ethnic costumes that highlight the cultural richness of the river’s upper reaches.
A series of economic and people-to-people exchanges events are also taking place, including the Vietnam – China international trade fair, a reenactment of the traditional Coc Leu market, the “One Race – Two Countries” international cycling tournament, and youth, cultural, business and sports exchanges between the two sides. Notably, the Shan Tuyet Tea Festival will showcase Lao Cai’s signature highland tea culture.
Chairman Nguyen Tuan Anh stressed that hosting the festival is a step to carry out the resolution of the provincial Party Congress for 2025–2030. It demonstrates Lao Cai’s commitment to innovation, integration, and its goal of becoming a major hub for international trade connectivity and cultural – tourism development in the northern mindland and moutainous region of Vietnam.
Luo Ping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of the People’s Government of Honghe prefecture, highlighted that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of China – Vietnam diplomatic ties and the Year of Humanistic Exchange between the two countries.
She believed that the festival and the Vietnam – China Cooperation Week in the Red River basin will help deepen collaboration and generate new momentum for the countries' Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the building of a China – Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance./.
