A proud border land

Lang Son is a” gateway and a border land of the country with a long history of formation and development, rich in revolutionary traditions, always holding an important strategic position in politics, economy, culture, defense, security and foreign affairs of the nation. During the national struggle to build and defend the country, people of all ethnic groups in Lang Son province joined with their compatriots across the country to bravely and tenaciously fight and protect the country’s independence, achieving many glorious victories which were recorded in shining historical golden pages.

Lieutenant General Duong Cong Suu, Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, tells historical stories to children

In the resistance war against the French colonialists, with the determination to “refuse to lose our country, refuse to be slaves”, together with the entire Party, the entire army, the entire people, the Party Committee, the army and the people of Lang Son ethnic groups heroically accomplished many glorious victories, turning the heroic road number 4 into a “death road” for the enemy, liberating the border, liberating Lang Son, creating an important rear area, contributing bring our nation’s long and arduous resistance war to victory.

Heroic history

In the historic days of October, we had the opportunity to meet revolutionary veterans, heroes of the people’s armed forces and listen to stories about the heroic history of the nation in general and Lang Son province in particular. In the cozy living room space, Lieutenant General Duong Cong Suu, Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, said: “As soon as Lang Son town was liberated (October 17, 1950), the Provincial Party Committee and Administrative Resistance Committee directed the armed forces, commissions, sectors and people in the province to quickly take over, clean up and deal with the consequences of war, gradually stabilize the people’s lives, their accommodation and working places of officials, armed forces and state agencies. By October 19, 1950, French troops withdrew from Loc Binh district. On the afternoon of October 30, 1950, receiving the news that our troops were preparing to attack Dinh Lap, the enemy hastily withdrew to Tien Yen district, Hai Ninh province (now Tien Yen district, Quang Ninh province). At dawn of October 31, 1950, our troops entered to liberate and take over Dinh Lap district, ending the last French colonial occupation of Lang Son province.

Lang Son province was completely liberated, ending a period of arduous and resilient resistance by the Party Committee, army and people of Lang Son ethnic groups in the long and heroic resistance led by our Party. In the victory of the Border Campaign to liberate Lang Son, the Party Committee and people of all ethnic groups in the province were proud to have contributed human and material resources, coordinated and fought effectively, and successfully completed the task in the campaign. During the 1950 Border campaign, the people of the entire province contributed over 290,000 man days to serve supplies and transportation. The province organized 5 civil service companies to serve the campaign with a total of 2,000 participants, digging 3,643 combat trenches and destroying 19 bridges and culverts of all kinds to hinder the enemy. Also during the campaign, Lang Son’s army and people mobilized to donate 200 tons of rice, 2.5 thousand tons of corn, 998 buffalos, 450 cows and 243 horses, contributing to food security for nearly 30 thousand soldiers participating in the campaign.

Promoting the victory of the Autumn-Winter Border victory in 1950, the Party Committee, army and people of Lang Son ethnic groups contributed human and material strengths to the victory of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. They participated in the resistance war against America, national liberation and national unification.

Various commemorative activities

Lieutenant General Duong Cong Suu, officers and soldiers of Regiment 123 under Provincial Military Command visit the unit’s traditional room

The heroic history of our army and people has become a pride for generations of Lang Son people. In Trang Dinh district, since mid-September 2023, the District People’s Committee has issued a plan to organize activities to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of That Khe liberation (October 10, 1950 – October 10, 2023) and Autumn – Winter in 1950 with many meaningful activities including Tran Hung Dao temple festival; tennis, badminton, and running tournaments; reviewing the history of That Khe liberation day; a festival of roasted duck and That Khe cuisine; exchanges of folk songs, folk dances… These activities have attracted a large number of people and tourists in the area, inside and outside the province to Trang Dinh district.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Nam, Secretary of the Trang Dinh District Party Committee, said: “The activities organized on this occasion not only contribute to widely introduce to people of all walks of life about history but also create a joyful and exciting atmosphere so that the people in the area can be proud of their homeland’s traditions in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, especially the achievements in the renovation process and the unique cultural values of the land and people in Trang Dinh.”

In Lang Son city, the days of October are vibrant with activities within the framework of the Ethnic Cultural Festival in the city to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of Lang Son’s Liberation Day and the 21st anniversary of its founding. The festival took place with many activities such as displaying and selling local specialties and OCOP products, cultural space and folk games around Phai Loan Lake, the opening ceremony of the festival which was broadcast live on the Provincial Radio and Television Station, opening the 2^nd phase of Ky Lua Walking Street and Lang Son city’s tourist tram line; “Flavors and colors of Xu Lang” tour by electric car; festival of clubs singing Then with tính lute, folk songs, folk dance, community dance and traditional national costume performances, sports competitions in athletics and freestyle swimming for civil servants, public employees and workers in the city…

During the two days (October 13 and 14), the festival attracted thousands of visitors from inside and outside the province with bright colors of ethnic costumes. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van, Vice Chairwoman of Lang Son City People’s Committee, said: “In previous years, the city only organized it on a smaller scale, but this year, we upgraded it to a greater festival to create a highlight with the desire to promote cultural tourism products associated with green tourism, towards sustainable tourism development of the city.” Thereby, they all create a regular cultural activity space for people and tourists from near and far when coming to Lang Son province in general and Lang Son city in particular.

Additionally to Trang Dinh district and Lang Son city, localities in the province organized exciting cultural and sports activities celebrating the local liberation day associated with the anniversary of the Fall-Winter border victory in 1950, thereby creating a vibrant and exciting competitive atmosphere among people of all walks of life. Ms. Luong Thi Hoa (75 years old) in Tam Thanh ward, Lang Son city shared: “This year’s cultural festival of ethnic groups in the city is very exciting, colorful with ethnic colors, showing deep solidarity among th people. Our generation has lived until today, witnessing peace and independence and the process in which our homeland develops like this, I am very happy and proud…”

Mr. Phung Quang Hoi, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Propaganda and Education Commission of the Provincial Party Committee affirmed: “The 73rd anniversary of Lang Son Liberation Day is an opportunity to review, honor and pay tribute to heroes and martyrs – those who heroically sacrificed themselves for the national liberation and protection. Continuing and promoting the noble traditions of previous generations, under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, all officials, party members and people are always united, promote democracy, dynamism, creativity and actively respond to the patriotic emulation movements associated with implementing directives, resolutions and conclusions of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee on studying and following ideology, moral and style of President Ho Chi Minh, promoting the building and rectification of the Party and political system; resolutely preventing and strictly punishing officials and party members who degrade in political ideology, moral and lifestyle, show signs of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”. They all strive to complete and exceed goals and tasks in 2023 and the following years.

Breaking through and rising up

Promoting the heroic tradition, in recent years, implementing the revolution initiated and led by our Party, the province’s socio-economic development continues to grow. After half of the congress term, the economic, cultural and social fields of the province have all further progressed than the previous term. Specifically, the GRDP in the period 2021 – 2022 reached 6.95%, 1.5% higher than the average of the previous term. Budget revenue increases every year and exceeds set targets. Average income per capita in the period 2021 – 2022 reached 49.26 million VND, up 29.3% compared to the period 2015 – 2020…

In the first 9 months of 2023, all levels, sectors, businesses and people in the province focus on implementing solutions to develop agricultural and forestry production, to transform the structure of crops, livestock. The total food production is estimated at 153.2 thousand tons. The national target program for building new rural areas continues to receive attention in its implementation. Districts and Lang Son city focus on implementing criteria for new rural development, advanced new rural areas and model new rural areas. Moreover, the province focuses on mobilizing investment resources, building infrastructure projects and developing production and business in border gate area, urging and supporting investors to speed up the implementation of infrastructure projects in functional areas. Total export and import turnover through the province in 9 months is estimated at 3,285 million USD. Industrial production is basically stable and growing. Activities of tourism promotion, introducing the province’s potentials, strengths and tourism products have been organized. Total budget revenue in the area is estimated at 5,674.12 billion VND, reaching 69.2% of the estimate, up 5.32% over the same period. Party building work achieved many important results. As of September 14, 2023, the Provincial Party Committee has 683 grassroots party organizations (308 grassroots party organizations, 375 grassroots party cells) with 69,551 party members. Digital transformation has been implemented comprehensively and achieved many results in many fields. Lang Son province ranked 6 out of 63 provinces and cities on the Digital Transformation Index (DTI) in 2022…

The above results have affirmed the efforts of the Party, government, and people of all ethnic groups in the province. At the same time, it shows the inheritance and promotion of traditions and historical values of today’s generation in building Lang Son into an increasingly rich, beautiful and sustainably developed province.