The Dien Bien delegation was headed by Nguyen Van Doat, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, while the Luang Prabang delegation was led by Viengvilay Dilaphan, member of the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the provincial Administration Committee.
At the talks, in the spirit of solidarity, special friendship, mutual trust and understanding, and based on the functions, duties and authority of each province as well as the Party regulations and laws of each country, the Dien Bien Provincial People’s Committee and the Luang Prabang Provincial Administration Committee agreed to report to their respective competent authorities for approval, in accordance with each country’s laws, of the upgrade of the Huoi Puoc–Na Son main border gate pair to international status.
The two sides agreed to work towards completing their respective domestic procedures in 2026, coordinate to finalise bilateral procedures, and seek to officially announce the upgrade of the Huoi Puoc–Na Son border gate pair to international status in 2027.
The two sides also agreed to promote investment in infrastructure and transport connectivity in the Huoi Puoc–Na Son border gate area to meet the criteria for international border gates under the respective laws of the two countries.
Both sides will provide maximum facilitation in administrative procedures within their respective authority and in accordance with each country’s laws, with a view to increasing the movement of people and vehicles, facilitating imports and exports, and attracting travellers from third countries through the border gates.
Outlining the potential and advantages of upgrading the Huoi Puoc–Na Son main border gate pair to international status, Nguyen Van Doat, Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien Provincial People’s Committee, said the border gates currently enjoy advantages in transport connectivity, as well as considerable potential for tourism, trade and services.
In terms of transport connectivity, the Huoi Puoc–Na Son main border gate pair is located at Border Marker No. 144 along the Viet Nam–Laos border. On the Vietnamese side, Huoi Puoc is located in Noong E Village, Muong Nha Commune, Dien Bien Province, around 100km from the provincial centre.
From Huoi Puoc, National Highway 279C connects with National Highway 279, providing access to the Tay Trang–Pang Hok International Border Gate; National Highway 12 links to Lai Chau and the Ma Lu Thang Border Gate; while National Highway 6 connects to Son La. Through National Highways 4D, 4H and 4G and other related routes, the area can also connect with the Lao Cai International Border Gate, the Noi Bai–Lao Cai Expressway, the A Pa Chai–Long Phu Border Gate and the Chieng Khuong–Ban Dan Border Gate.
In particular, once the Son La–Dien Bien Expressway is completed, connectivity from Huoi Puoc through the national highway network will be further expanded, facilitating trade and tourism.
Regarding tourism potential, Dien Bien is working towards becoming a tourism hub of the northwestern region by capitalising on its historical, cultural and natural strengths. Upgrading the Huoi Puoc–Na Son border gate pair to international status would therefore facilitate the development of tourism routes linking Dien Bien with Luang Prabang and other Lao localities, while expanding cultural exchanges, attracting more visitors and capitalising on the strengths of both provinces.
The upgrade of the Huoi Puoc–Na Son border gate pair to international status would also enable Dien Bien to expand its markets and further develop border trade and logistics.
The upgrade is expected to create additional opportunities to attract investment in warehousing, transport, trade, agro-forestry processing and supporting services. It would also facilitate the movement of goods, create jobs and improve livelihoods for communities on both sides of the border.
