Lao Kho 1 village, Phieng Khoai commune.

Lao Kho 1 was the first village to implement the "village-to-village" twinning model between villages in Son La province and neighboring Laos, starting in 2013. The bond between residents on both sides of the border is not limited to formal signing ceremonies, but is also demonstrated through concrete actions in daily life, such as exchanging experiences in farming and livestock raising; supporting each other during natural disasters and epidemics; coordinating to maintain security and order; and jointly protecting the border and national boundary markers.

On this trip to Lao Kho, we witnessed the "sweet fruits" of a cross-border love story between the children of two villages. It's the story of Mr. Trang Lao Tra and his wife, Ms. Trang Thi Dua, in Lao Kho 1. Ms. Dua is Laotian; in 2019, she fell in love with Mr. Tra and applied for Vietnamese citizenship, marrying him and changing her surname to her husband's. Their simple wooden house, nestled on the mountainside, is the home of the couple and their three children. In the main room, the Vietnamese and Laotian flags are proudly displayed. During the off-season, Ms. Dua takes the time to embroider traditional Hmong costumes for her family members to prepare for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Mr. Tra is a village health worker; every day, besides caring for the health of the villagers, he and his wife actively engage in farming and increasing their income, building a prosperous and happy life. Mr. Tra confided: "For our family, the border is no longer a dividing line, but a place that connects love." During every holiday and New Year's celebration, relatives from both sides visit each other, sharing a heartwarming New Year's meal and wishing each other a peaceful and prosperous year.

The family of Mr. Tráng Lao Tra and Ms. Tráng Thị Dủa (Lao citizens who have been granted Vietnamese citizenship), Lao Khô 1 village, Phiêng Khoài commune.

Leaving Lao Kho 1, we continued on to Din Chi village, a sister village to Pa Khom Noi in Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province, Laos. On the hillsides, the villagers of both hamlets were busily harvesting their last corn crop. Against the brown soil, sacks of corn were stacked along the paths, forming striking rows, indicating a bountiful harvest. Mr. Tenh Lao Tanh, the head of Din Chi village, shared: Last year, the villagers donated 450 kg of salt to support the particularly disadvantaged households of Pa Khom Noi; the government of Chieng Tuong commune (formerly) provided 100 kg of hybrid corn seeds to the people of the neighboring village.

Military medical officers from the Chiềng Tương Border Guard Post distributed free medicine to the people of Pa Khôm Nọi village, Xiềng Khọ district, Hủa Phăn province, Laos.

We were fortunate to be in Long Phieng commune on the day the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Post, in coordination with a charitable organization, held the "Spring on the Border: Warming the Hearts of the Villagers" program with many meaningful activities, including free eye examinations and care for the villagers. Among the long lines of people in front of the examination tables, we saw many villagers from neighboring Laos. There was no discrimination between residents on both sides of the border; everyone was welcomed and examined thoughtfully as if they were family. Ms. Ly Thi Phua, from Pa Khom Noi village, Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province, Laos, was moved: "I am so happy to be here for medical examinations and to visit my sister village. The dedication of the Vietnamese doctors has warmed my heart."

Spring has arrived, reflected in the vibrant pink of peach blossoms, the ripening cornfields, and the atmosphere in the houses. It's another spring of strong bonds and solidarity between the people of the sister villages; the "people's support" is being strengthened, becoming a crucial foundation for maintaining a peaceful, stable, friendly, and sustainable border.

Thu Thao