These days, tourists flock to Dien Bien to visit and work. People living on this historical land have the opportunity to share their experiences with friends from home and abroad through festivals, exchanges, and seminars covering various aspects of socio-cultural life. The whole country is looking towards Dien Bien, striving for a renewed and developed Dien Bien worthy of the Dien Bien Phu victory 70 years ago.
Dien Bien Phu City is on the path of renewal. Photo: Mai Giap
A new look for the old battlefield.
Today, traveling through the areas from Tuan Giao district to Dien Bien Phu city and Dien Bien district, visitors to Dien Bien are deeply impressed by the lush greenery of the forests and the white blossoms of the bauhinia tree lining the streets. New rural villages and modern urban areas are interspersed, obscuring traces of past suffering.
Visitors should remember to visit the villages and hamlets in the Dien Bien basin to hear locals recount stories of the early years after the liberation of Dien Bien, particularly the peak period of 1959-1962, with the slogan "Take the Northwest as our homeland, take the farm as our family." Dien Bien soldiers returned to the battlefield, and young volunteers joined the Dien Bien Farm... embarking on a new battle: reforming and restoring production, eradicating hunger and poverty. Generations of cadres implemented the "three together" principle, working together to create change in their new homeland. Today, farmers have reaped rewards from large-scale model fields, and Dien Bien agricultural products have affirmed their value, reaching markets outside the province and internationally. Locals enthusiastically share stories of their business ventures, highlighting the directions and strategies that have emerged from plans and orientations aimed at exploiting the province's unique potential and advantages to attract investment; and the projects of corporations such as Vingroup , Sungroup, and Deo Ca... that have been and are being implemented in the area.
For various reasons, many years after the victory, Dien Bien remained a poor province. According to statistics from the Provincial People's Committee, the poverty rate is currently over 26%, with an average annual decrease of 4.4%. However, objectively speaking, thanks to the positive impact of various funding sources, especially national target programs such as the New Rural Development Program, Sustainable Poverty Reduction, and Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minorities, the economic, cultural, and social landscape of Dien Bien is brightening. The former battlefield has undergone remarkable changes, which many village elders describe as a process from nothing to something; from loss and suffering to peace and happiness. Today's achievements give the people hope and dreams for a renewed and developed Dien Bien in the near future.
Mr. Le Thanh Do, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Bien province, assessed: Dien Bien has seen progressive development, with each year surpassing the previous one. In 2023, the province's economic growth rate is estimated at 7.1% (higher than the target set by the Provincial Party Congress Resolution), ranking 27th out of 63 provinces and cities, and 4th out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. The economic structure continues to shift in a positive direction, gradually creating breakthroughs in the key areas of tourism and services... 2023 was also the first year the province's tourism sector welcomed over 1 million visitors, with estimated revenue from tourism activities reaching 1,750 billion VND... Although far from Hanoi and other major economic centers in the country, access to Dien Bien has been made easier thanks to air connections and upgraded national highways.
Realizing the aspiration for development.
Dien Bien province holds a strategically important geopolitical position: it is the only province sharing a border with both China and Laos. It has air routes to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and has been authorized by the government to open international flights to several countries in the region, such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. In particular, Dien Bien is a historically significant land, home to the glorious Dien Bien Phu victory that shook the world, preserving historical and cultural values through the migration, settlement, and territorial defense of various ethnic groups. This provides favorable conditions for the province to connect with surrounding areas, opening up prospects for socio-economic development. The aspiration and vision for Dien Bien's renewal and development to reach its full potential are outlined in the Dien Bien Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. The plan was announced on March 17, 2024, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and leaders from several central and provincial ministries and agencies. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha assessed: Dien Bien is a special land, therefore it will receive special attention and its development will also follow a special direction.
Accordingly, Dien Bien is planned for development according to a spatial structure model of 4 dynamic axes - 3 economic zones - 4 growth poles. By 2030, it aims to become a relatively developed province in the northern midland and mountainous region; and one of the tourism, service, and healthcare centers of the region.
Provincial Party Secretary Tran Quoc Cuong affirmed that Dien Bien will actively implement the provincial planning into a system of policies and mechanisms to enhance competitiveness; focus on developing advantageous agricultural products according to key product groups; and develop tourism into a leading economic sector based on three main pillars: historical and cultural tourism; ecological tourism, exploring natural landscapes; and resort, entertainment, and health care tourism.
The plan for organizing socio-economic activities follows a spatial structure model with four dynamic axes: the dynamic economic axis along National Highway 279, the Dien Bien - Son La - Hanoi expressway connected to Dien Bien Airport. This is a crucial dynamic axis for the entire region; it is a transportation route creating strong and seamless connections between Dien Bien and the Northwest provinces, the provinces in the northern midland and mountainous regions, and to neighboring Laos through the Tay Trang and Huoi Puoc border gates. This economic axis is the driving force for the province's economic development, focusing on tourism, services, trade, commercial agriculture, and processing industries. The economic development axis along National Highway 12 connects the northern and southern parts of the province and connects to Laos through the Tay Trang and Huoi Puoc border gates. This transportation route is identified as a priority for investment to leverage the advantages of Dien Bien Airport and strengthen connections with neighboring provinces. The economic development axis along National Highway 6 connects Muong Lay town with Tuan Giao district and the southeastern provinces and cities (Son La, Hoa Binh, Hanoi). The economic axis along National Highway 4H connects with the western region of the province and is an important transportation artery contributing to the development of tourism, trade, and services, connecting with the Muong Nha Nature Reserve and the A Pa Chai border gate to China.
Economic regions include: dynamic economic regions with diversified development across various sectors; regions focusing on agricultural, forestry, and processing industries, tourism; and regions encompassing agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, and trade services.
The four growth poles include: Dien Bien Phu City – the administrative, political, and economic center of the province – will focus on developing into a historical, cultural, and tourist city; strongly developing international transit transport linked to the Tay Trang and Huoi Puoc border gates and the Vientiane (Laos) - Dien Bien Phu - Kunming (China) economic axis. Muong Lay town will develop into an eco-tourism center with accommodation facilities and tourism products linked to local culture. Tuan Giao town will develop into an industrial, service, and commercial center at the eastern gateway of the province; attracting investment to build industrial clusters to promote regional economic development. Muong Nha town will focus on developing agriculture, forestry, eco-tourism, and especially trade and services through border gates.
Specific mechanisms, policies, and plans will be aligned with the national overall plan and development strategy to create momentum and opportunities for Dien Bien's rapid and sustainable development.
Dat Thuong
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