Lang Son Provincial Party Committee – 90 proud years of development

Over the past 90 years, under the wise and ingenious leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam locally presented by the Provincial Party Committee, Lang Son people of ethnic groups have always promoted the tradition of patriotism and revolution, been resilient and indomitable in their struggle against foreign invaders; stayed industrious, hardworking, dynamic and creative in labor and production, making an important contribution to the construction and defense of the homeland and the country.

Among the important results that the people of Lang Son achieved under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, it is impossible not to mention Bac Son uprising (September 27, 1940). Although it took place in a short time (September 27, 1940 to October 29, 1940) with a small scale, Bac Son uprising was one of the brilliant milestones in the province’s revolutionary history and that of struggle against foreign invasion of the nation. Bac Son uprising not only marked the development of the revolutionary movement in Lang Son and encouraged the solidarity of the people in the province, but also bore an important meaning for the national revolutionary movement.

Officials and party members of agencies and units in the province learn about the place where the first Party cell was established in Lang Son province through images and documents at the Provincial Museum. Photo: LA MAI

The outbreak of the Bac Son uprising signaled a new period of fighting of our people under the leadership of the Party – the period of armed uprising to take over the power, the revolutionary period in which our country used violent revolutionary, political struggle combined with armed struggle, combining the uprising of the masses with the attack of the revolutionary armed forces. Bac Son uprising helped our Party gain valuable practical experience and a theoretical basis for the direction of revolutionary struggle and national liberation such as how to choose the right time for uprising, the recruitment of forces and unity of the people – these are the core issues of the war for national liberation.

After Bac Son Uprising, at the 7th Conference of the Central Committee of the Party (November 1940), our Party decided to maintain Bac Son guerrilla team as the core to build the armed forces, to establish a  base, chose the Bac Son – Vo Nhai region as the center under the direction of the Central Government. Along with that, many localities have focused on building armed forces, waiting for the right time for insurrection. With the above meaning and importance, Bac Son Uprising was an important factor contributing to the victory of the August Revolution in 1945.

Implementing the resolution of the 8th Conference of Central Executive Committee (May 1941), Lang Son province actively and urgently prepared all forces and conditions to conduct an uprising to take over power in the province. In 1942, the Cao – Bac – Lang Inter-provincial Party Committee was established, which promoted the revolutionary movement in 3 provinces including Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Bac Kan.

In mid-May 1945, under the direction of the Inter-provincial Standing Committee of Cao – Bac – Lang, the Conference to consolidate and strengthen the Interim Provincial Party Committee of Lang Son province was held in Khau Kham forest, Hoa Tham commune, Binh Gia district. This was the time the Provisional Provincial Party Committee had been consolidated and strengthened, after being persecuted by the French colonialists. The Conference appointed the Executive Committee of Interim Provincial Party Committee including Lo Quang Nam – Secretary, Bao An, Phan Manh Cu, Hoang Van Kieu.

During the General Uprising in August 1945, implementing the Party’s policy, the Provincial Party Committee led the people in localities in the province to stand up to take over the government.

After the August Revolution, Lang Son was one of the first provinces of the country that witnessed the army of Republic of China (ROC) and its henchmen arriving. While preventing and foiling the plots of the ROC army and its henchmen, on January 6, 1946, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provisional People’s Committee of Lang Son province supported tens of thousands of ethnic minorities in the province to vote for the deputies of National Assembly, contributing to the success of the first general election of the National Assembly of Vietnam. The achievements of building and strengthening the People’s Government have created a strong impetus for Lang Son province to soon enter the resistance war against the French colonialists, starting with the heroic fight of our army and people against the aggressive attack by the French colonialists in Lang Son town on November 25, 1946.

In 1946, the resistance war against the French colonialists broke out. Responding to the sacred call of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the people of Lang Son bravely entered the long-term resistance war with a firm determination: “It is better to sacrifice everything than to lose the country and serve as slave”. During the resistance war against the French, the army and people of Lang Son province achieved many victories, typically the 4th road campaign, the Autumn-Winter Border (1950) campaign. The names of Bong Lau, Lung Phay, Deo Khach, Ba Son, Ban Nam … have forever entered the glorious history of the country. On October 17, 1950, Lang Son was completely liberated, becoming a strong rear with the whole country to continue the resistance war against the French until the day of victory (in 1954).

During the resistance war against the American (1954-1975), together with the spirit of the whole country, with the slogans “plough in one hand and gun in the other”, “hammer in one hand and gun in the other”, “all for the South”, “all for the frontline”, “Crossing along Truong Son mountain to save the country”, ethnic people of Lang Son overcame all difficulties to boost production, to develop socio-economic, actively contributed human and aid resources to the South. Tens of thousands of officials, party members and young people in Lang Son have followed the tradition of their fathers to enlist in the army and go to war.

In 1965, when the US imperialist bombed the North, blockaded Hai Phong port with naval mines, Lang Son became a “floating port” to receive and transfer goods from friendly countries to support the southern battlefield.

In addition to the restoration and promotion of socio-economic development, the highlight of Lang Son province in the 10 years of national building and defense (from 1975 to 1985) was the protection the northern border (1979) led by the Party Committee of Lang Son province under the direction of the Party Central Committee. In this war, because of many outstanding victories, many units and individuals were honored by the State as Hero of the People’s Armed Forces including Mobile Police Team (Lang Son Provincial Department of Public Security) , Huu Nghi Border Guard Station, Po Ma Border Guard Station (Station 187), Mobile Company 5 of the People’s Armed Police (Border Guard) of Lang Son Province,…

After more than 35 years of renovation (1986 – 2023) initiated and led by the Party, the Party Committee and People of Ethnic Minorities of Lang Son province have upheld the spirit of solidarity, initiative and creativity, made great effort to overcome all difficulties and challenges, exploited the potentials and advantages of the province and achieved important results. Lang Son from a province with a poor economy, low education level, many difficulties in people’s life, has strongly developed. The economy has been continuously developing, the growth rate has been quite high. In the 2016-2020 period, the average annual economic growth rate (GRDP) was estimated at 5.45%; GRDP per capita by 2020 was 44.5 million VND (equivalent to 1,937 USD) 1.44 times higher than in 2015, more than 10 times higher than in 1996 (USD 185.3). In 2022, Lang Son province’s economy recovered its growth momentum (after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic), the growth rate of regional gross domestic product (GRDP) was estimated at 7.22% (target 7-7. 5%); GRDP per capita was estimated at 51.72 million VND. The economic structure changed in a positive direction: reducing the proportion of agriculture and forestry, increasing the proportion of industry – construction and trade – services.

Infrastructure, especially transport and urban infrastructure, receives great attention in development, serving production, business and social life; a number of residential areas, new urban areas in Lang Son city are formed in the direction of modernity. In 2022, Lang Son province had 85/181 communes meeting new rural standards; 17 advanced new rural communes and 1 model new rural commune. In 2022, Lang Son ranked 5th in the top provinces and cities in digital transformation.

Socio-cultural fields have witnessed many changes. The scale and quality of education and training has been expanded and improved, specifically, in 1997, the province was recognized as completing primary education popularization and literacy; in 2006, it completes lower secondary school popularization; in 2008, it met the standard of primary school popularization at the right age; in 2015, it completed the popularization of preschool education for 5-year-old children; By 2022, the province have had 269 schools meeting national standards.

Health care for the People is focused and improved. The values of national cultural identity are preserved and promoted. The movement “All people unite to build a cultural life” has developed widely. Poverty reduction and job creation are effectively implemented, social welfare is ensured; the rate of poor households (according to new criteria) in the province decreased rapidly, from more than 40% in 2000 to 25.95% in 2015, and down to 7.88% in 2020. In 5 years (2016 – 2020) jobs have been created for 72.2 thousand employees. The spiritual life of the people of all strata is increasing day by day. The political situation is stable, national defense and security are strengthened, national border sovereignty is maintained, social order and safety are ensured.

External relations work has been strengthened, both in terms of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. The political system has been consolidated and strengthened. The number and quality of Party members, Party organizations and grassroots party committees and cells meeting clean and strong standards has continuously increased year by year. The total number of Party members increased from 20,000 in 1986 to 68,942 in 2022. As of December 31, 2022, the Provincial Party Committee had 692 grassroots party organizations. The role, leadership effectiveness and prestige of the Party are enhanced. People’s faith in the Party with the renovation work has been firmly consolidated.

Over the past 90 years, the Party Committee of Lang Son province has concretized the views, resolutions and guidelines of the Central Committee, and made decisions suitable to each historical period. That the officials and Party members strive, fear no hardship, they are willing to sacrifice, with the solidarity and blood ties, love, support and protection from the people, the Party Committee of Lang Son has affirmed its leading role in deciding the strong development of the province, bringing the revolutionary movement in the province to overcome numerous difficulties and challenges, continuously developing, together with the whole country writing brilliant golden pages in the struggle for national liberation, construction and defense of the Socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

Entering a new development period, the 17th Lang Son Provincial Party Congress, for the 2020-2025 term, has determined the overall goal: “Strengthening the building of the Party Committee and a clean and strong political system; promoting the great strength of solidarity among ethnics; innovation and creativity; improving the effectiveness and efficiency of State management; mobilizing resources for the development of the border-gate economy, trade, tourism, services, infrastructure of industrial zones and clusters and restructuring the agricultural sector in association with new rural development; focusing on investing in traffic and urban infrastructure; promoting cultural and social development, improving the people’s material and spiritual life; strengthening national defense, security and foreign affairs, ensuring a border  of peace, friendship and cooperation, developing Lang Son quickly and sustainably.

Currently, the fluctuations of the world and domestic situation have created many new opportunities for Lang Son, but it will also pose many challenges. However, with wisdom, bravery and resilience, with a proactive and creative spirit; promoting the tradition of 90 years of development, the Party Committee of Lang Son province has been leading the people of ethnic groups in Lang Son province to promote the glorious revolutionary tradition, solidarity, democracy, discipline, innovation, dynamism and creativity to successfully complete the goals in the Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020-2025, to build a more prosperous beautiful and civilized Lang Son province.

Over the past 90 years, the Party Committee of Lang Son province has concretized the views, resolutions and guidelines of the Central Committee, and made decisions suitable to each historical period. That the officials and Party members strive, fear no hardship, they are willing to sacrifice, with the solidarity and blood ties, love, support and protection from the people, the Party Committee of Lang Son has affirmed its leading role in deciding the strong development of the province, bringing the revolutionary movement in the province to overcome numerous difficulties and challenges, continuously developing, together with the whole country writing brilliant golden pages in the struggle for national liberation, construction and defense of the Socialist Vietnamese Fatherland