Officers from the Chiềng On Border Guard Post, in coordination with Border Guard Company 213, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command (Lao People's Democratic Republic), conducted a joint patrol.

No gaps in the system will be left unmet.

While the morning mist still covered the border mountain slopes, at the assembly point, officers and soldiers of the Chieng On Border Guard Post, along with patrol forces from Border Guard Company 213, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command, Lao People's Democratic Republic, were all present.

After a brief exchange about the route, the two teams set off. The patrol route followed the mountain slopes, traversing forest trails. Upon reaching border marker 222, the two forces jointly inspected the condition of the border marker and the border line, cleared vegetation, cleaned the area around the marker, tilled the soil, and tidied up the protective fence. These small tasks amidst the border mountains and forests demonstrated the close coordination and responsibility of the border protection forces of both countries.

Taking a break during a patrol, Lieutenant Colonel Ha Van Chinh, Commander of the Chieng On Border Guard Station, provided the following information: The unit is assigned to manage and protect 33.822 km of border, adjacent to the two communes of Na Toong and Lao Hung - Phieng Xa, Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province, Laos; with the Na Cai - Sop Dung sub-border gate and the Keo Muong - Na Khang border crossing. The area under its responsibility includes the two communes of Yen Son and Phieng Khoai, with 34 villages, 10 of which are border villages. With a large area and complex terrain, in addition to maintaining unilateral patrols, the unit proactively coordinates bilateral patrols to ensure no "gaps" in the border line; regularly exchanges information and promptly handles issues at the grassroots level, preventing any passive or unexpected situations.

Officers from the Chiềng On Border Guard Post, in coordination with Border Guard Company 213, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command (Lao People's Democratic Republic), conducted a joint patrol.

Sharing the same journey along the border, Major Xu Sieu Menhdaobang, Company Commander of Border Guard Company 213, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command, said: The two sides maintain bilateral patrols once every quarter and unilateral patrols once a month. Through each patrol, the forces of both sides have more opportunities to monitor the situation along the border, exchange information, and coordinate in resolving arising issues, contributing to maintaining security and order in the border area.

Besides bilateral patrols, the cooperative relationship between the border protection forces of both sides is maintained through regular talks and briefings; information exchange; and coordinated efforts to combat crime. Since the beginning of the year, the Son La Border Guard force has coordinated with the functional forces of Laos to organize 29 bilateral patrol teams. The Son La Border Guard force also advised and assisted the Lao side in arresting 6 cases involving 8 suspects, seizing drugs, weapons, and other related evidence; and simultaneously gathered and processed 1,331 pieces of information on the local situation and suspects, contributing to building a cooperative and trustworthy relationship between the border protection forces of the two countries.

Peace from the villages

Leaving the patrol route, the story continues with the villages behind the border. Mong Nam village, Mong Nam commune, Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province, in neighboring Laos, lies amidst towering mountains and forests, home to 140 households. The lives of the people are still difficult, their livelihoods mainly dependent on slash-and-burn agriculture. Areas traditionally used for growing corn and cassava are now being used by the villagers to experiment with new production methods.

Officers from the Chiềng Tương Border Guard Post guide the people of Móng Nặm village, Móng Nặm commune, Xiềng Khọ district, Hủa Phăn province (Lao People's Democratic Republic) in planting coffee trees.

At the end of May 2026, the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Post, Son La Border Guard Command, provided over 6,000 coffee seedlings and 500 kg of fertilizer to four households in Mong Nam village. New plants, new soil, and new farming techniques. To help the coffee plants get through the initial period of rooting, the people of Mong Nam carried water cans up the mountain to water them. Their efforts paid off. After adapting, the coffee plants began to turn green and take root in the new soil.

Mr. Vieng Thong Vonglokham, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Mong Nam commune, shared: Introducing new crops into production opens up more opportunities to change farming methods and improve economic efficiency; at the same time, it demonstrates the concern and close relationship between the government, functional forces and people on both sides of the border.

Chiềng Tương Border Guard Station provides support to the people of Móng Nặm village, Móng Nặm commune. Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, grows coffee.

From the coffee plantations in Mong Nam, the solidarity continues to be extended through the sister villages of Son La and Hua Phan. The authorities, functional forces, and people of both sides regularly visit each other, exchange production experiences, coordinate in maintaining security and order, and protect the border and boundary markers. From there, relationships become even closer within each family. The family of Mr. Lia Tuan Anh and Ms. Tenh Thi Ly in Chieng Tuong village, Long Phieng commune, is one such story. Ms. Ly, whose name is Vanly Tenh, is a Lao national, born and raised in Sam Neua town, Hua Phan province. Mr. Tuan Anh is from Chieng Tuong village. The two met when he visited relatives in Laos, and they became husband and wife. In 2021, Ms. Ly was granted Vietnamese citizenship.

After settling down in Chieng Tuong and starting a family, she and her husband maintain the tradition of growing flax, weaving, and creating beeswax-painted handicrafts that reflect the traditional culture of the Mong ethnic group. Not content with traditional methods, the family is gradually expanding their products through social media to promote them, find customers, and broaden their market. Ly shared: "I got married, had children, and started a business with my family in Vietnam. This is my second home. I want to develop the economy while preserving traditional crafts and introducing my family's products to more people."

Ms. Tếnh Thị Ly, from Chiềng Tương village, Lóng Phiêng commune, promotes her brocade products on social media platforms.

Through Ly's skillful hands, the flax threads are joined together and woven into fabric. Just as her life has connected Sam Neua with Son La through love, family, and cultural values ​​preserved over the years, peace on the border is not only created by patrols or securely protected border markers, but also by the stable lives of the people, the bonds between communities, and love that knows no borders.

Colonel Nguyen Dinh Huan, Commander of the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command, stated: Border guard diplomacy has been implemented comprehensively and is increasingly deepening, linking the task of managing and protecting the border with consolidating solidarity, friendship, and support for the people. Along with maintaining sovereignty and border security, building a relationship of trust with border protection forces, the government, and the people on the other side contributes to creating a peaceful and stable border environment, allowing people on both sides to live and work with peace of mind.

Evening falls over the border mountains. Soldiers return to their units after their patrol. In Mong Nam, young coffee plants are still taking root. In a house in Chieng Tuong, flax fibers continue to be spun into thread and woven into fabric. From the footsteps on the border to the seasons of planting, from the coordination of functional forces to the close bond between the people on both sides, all are contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing Son La - Hua Phan border.

 

Phan Thao