Yen Bai from revolutionary tradition to aspiration for prosperity

Yen Bai - After the reunification of the country, Yen Bai continued to heal the wounds of war, restore the economy, and build a new life. The Thac Ba Hydroelectric Power Plant - the "firstborn" of Vietnam's hydroelectric industry - is a symbol of the creative spirit and resilience of the Party Committee and people of the entire province in overcoming difficulties. Entering the period of reform and re-establishment of the province in 1991, Yen Bai has undergone a strong transformation.

A view of Yen Bai city today.

On February 3, 1930, in Kowloon (Hong Kong, China), under the chairmanship of Comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc, the conference unified three communist organizations in Vietnam into a single party, the Communist Party of Vietnam . The birth of the Party was a momentous event, marking a major turning point in the history of our country's revolution, opening the path to national liberation, independence, freedom, and the happiness of the people.

Immediately after the Party's founding, the revolutionary light spread strongly throughout all regions of the country, including Yen Bai. It was in this land rich in patriotic traditions that the revolutionary spirit was quickly ignited by the uprising of the Vietnam National Party, initiated by leader Nguyen Thai Hoc, on the night of February 9th and the early morning of February 10th, 1930. Although unsuccessful, the uprising left a great impact, deeply fostering patriotism and the indomitable spirit of the people of Yen Bai, and igniting the will to fight for independence and freedom throughout the country.

From the initial "seeds" of revolution, the struggle for independence in Yen Bai spread increasingly widely. Revolutionary bases were formed, and many national salvation organizations were established. In particular, on May 7, 1945, the first Communist Party cell of Yen Bai town was established, opening a new period of struggle and laying the foundation for the birth of the provincial Party committee. On June 30, 1945, in the Van - Hien Luong War Zone, the inter-provincial Party Committee of Yen Bai - Phu Tho was established with Comrade Ngo Minh Loan as Secretary.

Under the leadership of the Party, the people of Yen Bai province launched uprisings to seize power in Van Chan, Luc Yen, Tran Yen, Yen Binh, and Yen Bai town, making a significant contribution to the victory of the August Revolution in 1945. During the two wars of resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism, the Party Committee and people of Yen Bai province demonstrated a high level of revolutionary spirit, steadfastly clinging to the land and the people, building up their forces, and coordinating with the main army units to achieve great victories in campaigns such as the Thao River Campaign, Le Hong Phong Campaign, Ly Thuong Kiet Campaign, and especially the Northwest Campaign which completely liberated Yen Bai province.

Yen Bai, along with the rest of the country, contributed to the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory, helping to end French colonial rule in Vietnam. During the resistance war against the US, Yen Bai continued to be a major rear base, mobilizing human and material resources for the front lines. The movements "Plow in one hand, gun in the other" and "Each person works twice as hard for our beloved South" spread throughout the province. Nearly 25,000 young people enlisted, including four battalions named Yen Ninh, which fought on battlefields across the country. The entire province of Yen Bai contributed 290,000 tons of grain and 150,000 tons of food to the resistance war.

After the reunification of the country, Yen Bai continued to heal the wounds of war, restore the economy, and build a new life. The Thac Ba Hydropower Plant – the "firstborn" of Vietnam's hydropower industry – is a symbol of the creative spirit and resilience of the Party Committee and people of the entire province in overcoming difficulties. Entering the period of reform and re-establishment of the province in 1991, Yen Bai has undergone a strong transformation. In particular, after implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party and the Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term, Yen Bai has achieved many outstanding accomplishments.

The economic structure continues to shift in the right direction. In 2024, the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth rate reached 7.91%, ranking 7th out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region, and 25th out of 63 provinces and cities. Agricultural production affirmed its role as the "pillar" of the economy, continuing to maintain a relatively strong growth momentum despite many agricultural areas being severely affected by natural disasters, storms, and floods, reaching 3.56%, ranking 2nd out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region.

Currently, 113 out of 146 communes in the province have met the standards for new rural areas, accounting for over 77.4% of the total number of communes, 1.5 times higher than the regional average; 5 out of 9 districts, towns, and cities have met the standards for new rural areas: Tran Yen district, Yen Bai city, Nghia Lo town, Yen Binh district, and Van Yen district. With a strong shift towards a diverse and dynamic market economy, Yen Bai has developed specialized agricultural areas along value chains.

Typical examples include cinnamon growing areas of over 80,000 hectares, fruit tree growing areas of nearly 10,000 hectares, planted forest timber areas of over 220,000 hectares, bamboo shoot growing areas of over 6,000 hectares, hawthorn growing areas of over 10,000 hectares, mulberry growing areas of over 1,000 hectares, and specialty rice growing areas of over 3,000 hectares… Agricultural production has created momentum for industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and for sustainable socio-economic development.

Identified as a breakthrough in promoting socio-economic development, the province's industry has developed significantly in recent years. Industrial production value in 2024 reached VND 18,400 billion, an increase of 8.7% compared to 2023, ranking 8th out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. Yen Bai pays special attention to promoting administrative reform, creating a transparent and attractive investment environment to attract domestic and foreign investors. Many large economic groups have invested and are investing in Yen Bai, such as: BB Group, Viglacera Corporation, Flamingo Holding Group, Erex Group (Japan), Vigroup, Sun Group, Euro Window Group, APEC Group, Nippon Joki Pharmaceutical Group, Bao Lai Group, FDI enterprises, and Korean garment enterprises…

In particular, Yen Bai is one of the few provinces leading the country in rural transportation development. The province now has seven modern bridges crossing the Red River, connecting the two banks. Along with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway passing through the area, in recent years, many spacious and modern roads have been invested in and built, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development and giving Yen Bai a new look.

Tourism has become a key economic sector of the province, with many unique and attractive products bearing its own identity, such as: the Muong Lo Culture and Tourism Week and the exploration of the Mu Cang Chai terraced rice fields, the Dong Cuong Temple Festival, Thac Ba Lake tourism, Le Champ Tu Le resort, Tram Tau hot springs, and community-based tourism products… attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

The people of Luc Yen were happy on the day of the inauguration of the To Mau bridge.

In 2024, Yen Bai welcomed and served nearly 2.15 million visitors, including over 270,000 international tourists; revenue reached 1,790 billion VND, a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The banking, transportation, and trade sectors also saw many positive developments. Key provincial projects have been and are being implemented, along with many socio-economic infrastructure projects that continue to create a new look from urban to rural areas.

Along with economic development, socio-cultural aspects have received attention and have seen comprehensive development; the quality of education and healthcare has continuously improved. The cultural identity of ethnic groups has been preserved and promoted in conjunction with tourism development. Vocational training and job creation, linked to job retraining for rural workers, have yielded positive results, achieving the goal of rapid and sustainable poverty reduction. The material and spiritual lives and happiness index of the people have continuously improved.

National defense and security have been consolidated and strengthened; political security and social order have been ensured, creating a favorable environment to attract investment, develop socio-economic activities, and maintain the peaceful and happy lives of the people. The leadership methods of the Party and the political system have undergone many innovations and achieved positive results.

The government's operations are becoming increasingly effective and efficient. The Fatherland Front and political and social organizations at all levels have gathered and maximized the strength of national unity, arousing the will and aspirations of all strata of the people to strive for progress, working together with the Party committee and government to successfully carry out the province's political tasks. These results are an important foundation and an extremely favorable factor for Yen Bai province to continue to innovate and develop, joining the rest of the country in entering a new era.

Looking back on the journey so far, the Party Committee and people of Yen Bai province have every right to be proud of their immense contributions to the cause of national liberation and nation-building. These achievements are the culmination of the wisdom, courage, will, and sacrifices of countless generations of cadres, Party members, and people throughout history. Entering a new stage of development, with the spirit of "democracy, innovation, unity, self-reliance, self-strength, decisive action, and the benefit of the people," the Party Committee and people of Yen Bai province will continue to uphold revolutionary traditions, building a rapidly and sustainably developing province in the direction of "Green, harmonious, distinctive, and happy," determined to make Yen Bai a relatively prosperous province nationwide by 2025 and among the leading provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region by 2030.

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