Over the past 70 years, under the Party’s leadership, the people of Dien Bien have always promoted the heroic tradition of Dien Bien Phu while being diligent in working and courageous in fighting to overcome challenges to gain many important achievements in various fields.

In the socio-economic field, Dien Bien has maintained a good economic growth rate for many consecutive years. The average GRDP growth rate reached 11.6% per year in the 2005-2010 period; 9.11% per year during the 2010- 2015 period; 6.0% per year during the 2016-2020 period, and 9.33% per year during 2021-2023 period.

The economic structure continues to shift in the right direction. In 2023, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector accounted for 15.6%, the industry – construction sector accounted for 22.25%, and the service sector accounted for 57.7% of the economic structure.

GRDP per capita reached 42.98 million VND per person in 2023, an increase of 1.46 times compared to 2020, and an increase of 2.1 times compared to 2015. Total state budget revenue has gradually expanded over the years, hitting 1.64 trillion VND in 2023, a rise of over 11 times compared to 2004.

So far, national highways in the province have been expanded, creating favourable conditions for transportation. About 100% of communes in the province have car roads to their centres, 80 communes have concreted commune roads, and 68 communes have concreted village roads.

The transportation system has been gradually connected with other provinces and cities, meeting the transportation and travel needs of the people while creating conditions to promote local socio-economic development.

Dien Bien Airport is officially re-operating after the upgrade of several items, meeting technical standards for modern aircraft such as A320 and A321 to resume operation since December 2, 2023. The airport is a key project of major significance to national defence and security. It creates a breakthrough in infrastructure, expected to help attract investment and boost regional economic development.

Phase 1 of the Dien Bien - Son La Expressway project is being urgently researched, which will be a favourable condition to open up new development opportunities for the people in Dien Bien Province. It is also expected to boost trade and tourism in the province, as well as strengthening the connection between Dien Bien and other provinces and cities across the country.

Dien Bien welcomed more than 2 million tourists (including about 13,500 international visitors) during the 2021-2023 period, with total revenue of about 3.55 trillion VND. In 2023 alone, Dien Bien Province received over 1 million visitors, with total revenue of over 1.75 trillion VND.

  Dien Bien Airport is expected to help boost regional economic development. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)

  A1 Hill is now a popular tourist site in Dien Bien Phu City. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)

In addition, social security is guaranteed with due attention paid to poverty reduction. The current average poverty reduction rate reaches 4.32% per year while the lives of people of all ethnic groups have been gradually improved.

By the end of 2023, all 129 communes, wards and towns in the province had access to national grid. The total number of households using national grid reached 93.26% (an increase of 9.86% compared to 2015).

Military, defence, and foreign affairs have been comprehensively deployed, helping to maintain political security, social security order, and national border sovereignty.

Foreign affairs activities continue to be promoted through the expansion of special friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Northern provinces of Laos, China’s Yunnan Province, Northeast provinces of Thailand, the Kansai region of Japan, Batna province of Algeria, and others.

  Tay Trang International Border Gate in Dien Bien Province. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)

It can be affirmed that after 70 years of liberation, there have been many proud changes in the heroic land of Dien Bien Phu. The Party Committee, government, army, and people of all ethnic groups in Dien Bien Province are always united and enthusiastic in working, firmly protecting the border sovereignty of the nation, as well as building a more prosperous and civilised Dien Bien, thus making a worthy contribution to the cause of fighting for national liberation and developing the country in the new situation.

To date, many major goals have been basically completed in the spirit of the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress (2020-2025 term). These will be a premise to create momentum for the implementation of political goals and tasks in the next stages, thereby gradually concretising the goal that “Dien Bien is in the group of well-developed provinces in the country” by 2025, pursuant to the Politburo Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW dated February 10, 2022.

  Goods export and import at Tay Trang International Border Gate. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)

  Dien Bien Phu City at night. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)

The Dien Bien Phu Victory affirmed the correctness and the inevitable victory of the people’s war policy under the leadership of the Party and beloved President Ho Chi Minh. This is also an opportunity to review the nation’s glorious revolutionary tradition, contributing to educating the younger generation, building trust and determination, and upholding the responsibility of officers, soldiers, and people for the task of building and defending the current socialist Vietnam.

Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Division under the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, visited Dien Bien Province on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, sharing her feelings: “This is the first time I have had the opportunity to visit Dien Bien, I am very excited and moved and really admire our previous generation who heroically sacrificed their lives so that we could have independence. Following our fathers’ generation, we have participated in the United Nations peacekeeping force. While our father's generation died for our country, we are now contributing our small part to bring good things to places still in civil war, contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam.” I feel lucky and grateful to live in independence like today, Nga noted.

91-year- old Tran Dinh Duong is a former soldier of Dien Bien. His hometown is in Dong Van, Thanh Chuong, Nghe An Province, and he is currently living in Residential Area 9, Muong Thanh Ward, next to Hill A1 in Dien Bien Phu. He hoped the next generation will study and boost the economy, building a more prosperous and more beautiful homeland.

In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, he took his whole family to visit the Dien Bien Phu Museum to educate his children and grandchildren more about the nation’s heroic history and encourage them to strive to study and work to build an increasingly prosperous country.

Two veterans in the resistance war against the US from Dong Anh, Hanoi, and their comrades visited the Dien Bien Phu Museum of Dien Bien Phu City on this occasion. Both expressed admiration and pride about the heroic tradition of generations of Vietnamese soldiers who were ready to sacrifice themselves to regain every inch of land for the Fatherland! That tradition has been forged from thousands of years of history and will forever be passed down to future generations!

  An overview of Dien Bien Phu today. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Dat)