Leaders of Nghe An province visit and extend Bunpimay new year's greetings to Laos

Leaders of Houaphanh Department of Foreign Affairs receive Nghe An's delegation at Na Meo - Namsoi International Border Checkpoint. Photo: Pham Bang

In the afternoon of April 3, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung and the delegation arrived in Houaphanh province (Laos).

Located in the northeast of Laos, Houaphanh has a total natural area of 16,500km² and a population of 318,383 people. The province has a 568km long border with 3 provinces of Vietnam: Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Son La.

In 2022, the economic growth rate of Houaphanh province is 3.45%, the average income per capita is 14.2 million Laotian Kip/person/year, equivalent to USD 919 /year. Houaphanh has potential in the development of agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, hydropower and tourism.

In Houaphanh province, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung and the delegation visit the Viengxay Revolutionary Base in Nakay village, Viengxay district. Photo: Pham Bang

The delegation visits the place where late General Secretary, President Kaysone Phomvihane used to live and work. Photo: Pham Bang

In Houaphanh province, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung and the delegation visited the Viengxay Revolutionary Base in Nakay village, Viengxay district.

This is the resistance capital of Laos and also where Vietnam's 959 expert delegation was once attached. In Laotian, "Vieng" means city, "xay" means victory, "Viengxay" means city of victory.

Members of the Laotian Politburo used to take a nap after work time in this place in the 1964-1975 period. Photo: Pham Bang

The meeting room of the Laotian Politburo in the 1964-1975 period. Photo: Pham Bang

Viengxay is a tourist destination located about 30km from the center of Xamneua town, Houaphanh province (Laos), about 55km from Namsoi - Na Meo International Border Checkpoint.

Vientiane is especially famous for its system of nearly 500 caves, many of which were chosen as places for living, working and carrying out revolutionary activities of previous leaders of the Party, State and ministries, departments and sectors of Laos in the 1964-1975 period.

A number of precious documents and books are well preserved and displayed at the Viengxay Revolutionary Base. Photo: Pham Bang

One of the most notable caves is the one where the late General Secretary, President Kaysone Phomvihane and Prince Souphanouvong used to live and work. It is protected and still intact, fully shows the workplace, shelter, kitchen, living room, dining room, reading room... which is connected to the Politburo meeting room by a 50m long path dug through the mountain by Vietnam’s Military Engineers in 1967.

The Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and his delegation visit the place where Prince Souphanouvong used to live and work in the period of 1964-1975. Photo: Pham Bang

The establishment of this base also stems from the request of the Vietnam-Laos fighting alliance, joining forces fighting against the common enemy, for the independence and freedom of each country. This is the result of the spirit, wisdom and efforts of cadres, Party members and people of the two countries; is a symbol of a pure, faithful and exemplary international spirit.

According to his schedule to visit and work in Houaphanh province (Laos), Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung and the delegation will extend Bunpimay new year's greetings to Laos. Leaders of the two localities will hold high-level talks and sign a memorandum of cooperation for the 2023-2025 period.

Along with that, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung will meet with the Vietnamese Association in Houaphanh province, including overseas Nghe An businesses, and attend the Baci ceremony, in which strings are tied around a person's wrist to preserve good luck, organized by leaders of Houaphanh province.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Council and the delegation of Nghe An province offered flowers and incense at the Memorial complex to President Ho Chi Minh in Xiangvang village, Nongbouk district. Photo: Nguyen The Than

Photo: Nguyen The Than

On this occasion, within the framework of the provincial leaders’ program to visit and extend Bunpimay new year’s greetings to Khammouane province (Laos), Mr. Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Council and the delegation of Nghe An province offered flowers and incense at the Memorial complex to President Ho Chi Minh in Xiangvang village, Nongbouk district. The delegation also visited the exhibit house associated with President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities and the Laos-Vietnam friendship.

Photo: Nguyen The Than

Memorial complex to President Ho Chi Minh in Khammouane province is a place to keep the memories of the period when President Ho Chi Minh worked and contributed to the revolution in Laos. The complex is a symbol of the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos established and fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane.