Son La celebrates 130 years of establishment: An agricultural miracle amidst the clouds

On the evening of October 10th, at Northwest Square, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, and the Provincial Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of Son La province organized a ceremony to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the province's founding (October 10, 1895 - October 10, 2025).

Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan; leaders and former leaders of the Party and State; delegates from the Lao People's Democratic Republic; leaders of central and provincial departments, ministries and agencies attended the ceremony.

Delivering a commemorative speech, Son La Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Quoc Khanh stated that on October 10, 1895, Son La province was established with the initial name Van Bu and was renamed Son La in 1904.

Hoang Quoc Khanh, Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee, delivers a speech commemorating the 130th anniversary of the province's founding. (Photo: Quang Quyet/VNA)

Throughout its formation and development, the people of the ethnic groups here have created a land rich in unique and valuable traditions.

Over 130 years of construction and development, the people of Son La province, under the leadership of the Party Committee, have stood shoulder to shoulder with the whole country, continuing to uphold their heroic traditions, overcoming all difficulties and challenges, and achieving great accomplishments in all fields.

The economic structure is shifting in a positive direction, in the right direction, and in line with the province's economic development goals. Agricultural production is developing sustainably, linked with the application of high technology and processing industries.

The province's gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to reach 83,000 billion VND in 2025, and the average GRDP per capita is estimated to reach 62 million VND/person/year.

The province prioritizes cultural and social development, ensuring good healthcare and living standards for the people; building an advanced culture rich in national identity; promoting the application of information technology and digital transformation; and focusing on improving the quality of education and training to develop human resources to meet the demands of the new era.

People's lives are stable; the poverty rate according to the poverty standard for the 2021-2025 period decreased from 21.66% in 2021 to over 7% by the end of 2025. The province has completed the task of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses; the unity of ethnic groups has been strengthened; and national defense and security have been maintained.

The work of Party building and rectification, and strengthening the political system, has been emphasized and implemented comprehensively, synchronously, and effectively. The province maintains a special friendly cooperative relationship with nine provinces of Laos; building a peaceful, friendly, stable, and comprehensively developed Vietnam-Laos border.

At the commemoration ceremony, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan emphasized that 130 years is a long journey forged by the sweat, intellect, and patriotism of generations of people in Son La, of the mountain villages, and of the ethnic minorities who, along with the whole country, have defended the borders and built the nation.

Son La preserves a sacred land of memories, where every inch of soil is steeped in the sweat, tears, blood, and bones of countless generations, intertwined with the glorious victories of the nation.

According to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan, after the reunification of the country, Son La continued to face the struggle against poverty, backwardness, and isolation due to mountains and rugged terrain.

Continuing its glorious tradition, the will and faith of the people of Son La have once again created a victory of intelligence and perseverance in peacetime. Rising from hardship, Son La, a hilly land at the headwaters of the Ma and Da rivers, has now become the agricultural capital of the Northwest region, confidently embarking on a new path of sustainable development, integration, and innovation.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan presents the First-Class Labor Order from the President of Vietnam to Son La province. (Photo: Quang Quyet/VNA)

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan affirmed that it is in the "steep slopes of the Northwest" region, a place of many difficulties, that the Party Committee, government, and people of Son La have together created an agricultural miracle amidst the clouds.

From its humble beginnings of cornfields and cassava plantations, Son La has risen to become the leading fruit-growing region in Northern Vietnam. Moc Chau plums, Song Ma longan, Yen Chau mangoes, Thuan Chau passion fruit, Son La coffee… have spread the flavors of the Northwest mountains and forests throughout the world.

Alongside this, the lush green tea hills, ecological farms, community models, and roads paving the way for tourism, trade, knowledge, and technology are continuing to tell the proud story of transformation in a land that persistently turns difficulties into motivation. Farmers in Son La confidently participate in community institutions, planting trees while preserving forests, and engaging in agriculture while also considering tourism, ecology, and culture.

"The world is changing very rapidly. But there are values that always endure: the spirit of solidarity, self-reliance, and the aspiration to rise. Son La has been, is, and will continue to be a land of willpower and creativity; a 'storyteller' of the Northwest mountains and forests in the era of national development. Development is not only reflected in economic growth figures but also encompasses the vitality of each village, the smiles of each citizen, and the faith of the younger generation," the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly stated.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan presented the First-Class Labor Order from the President of Vietnam to the Party Committee, government, military, and people of Son La province for their outstanding achievements in fruit tree development, contributing to the socio-economic development of the Northwest region and the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland; and presented the Third-Class Labor Order to the Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee Hoang Quoc Khanh and the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee Lo Minh Hung for their outstanding achievements in contributing to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland.

Following the ceremony, a special, elaborately staged artistic program featuring many outstanding musical and dance performances recreated the glorious history of the army and people of Son La in the struggle for national independence and freedom, the construction and protection of the Fatherland, and the achievements in socio-economic development, national defense and security of Son La.../.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/son-la-ky-niem-130-nam-thanh-lap-ky-tich-nong-nghiep-giua-may-ngan-post1069600.vnp