Son La has a border of more than 274 km, with 126 border markers and 125 locations, adjacent to the two provinces of Hua Phan and Luang Prabang (Lao PDR). The border area of ​​the province has 17 communes in 6 districts of Mai Son, Yen Chau, Moc Chau, Van Ho, Song Ma and Sop Cop.

Center of Chieng Khuong border commune.

Affirming the specialized role of the Border Guard (BĐBP) in border management and protection, over the past 60 years since its establishment, generations of officers and soldiers of the Son La Border Guard have overcome all difficulties and hardships to excellently complete their assigned tasks.

Following the leadership of the Party Committee, the Border Guard Command, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee and promoting the combined strength of the political system, the Provincial Border Guard force has detected and handled hundreds of cases and thousands of subjects violating border security sovereignty, preventing and repelling many other violations, protecting the safety of the border and border markers, preventing bad incidents on the border and doing a good job in border diplomacy. Participating in negotiations, organizing the increase and renovation of 125 markers on the Vietnam-Laos border. Doing a good job in managing the area and managing entry and exit across the border.

Officers and soldiers of Muong Lan Border Post, Sop Cop district, patrol and control the border area.

Responding to the movement "All people participate in protecting territorial sovereignty and national border security in the new situation", the provincial Border Guard force has consulted with the Party Committees and authorities of border communes to organize people to sign contracts to participate in self-management of border lines and national border markers. Maintain regular activities of 525 self-management groups on security and order in border areas, with nearly 3,900 members; 72 self-management groups on border lines and national border markers, with over 4,200 households, creating a closed belt along the border, participating in firmly protecting the border areas of the province.

In various operations, the unit regularly innovates and improves the quality and effectiveness of our professional methods to counter intelligence, espionage, illegal border crossings, activities exploiting religious freedom, illegal religious propaganda, illegal migration, and various criminal offenses. We have successfully established and dismantled numerous reactionary cases, preventing activities that exploit religious freedom to recruit forces for the plot to establish a "Mong Kingdom" and transnational drug crimes...

Officers and soldiers of Muong Lan Border Post, Sop Cop district and Cang Coi village self-management team, Muong Lan commune patrol and control the border area.

In addition, the unit proactively developed plans and strategies to protect the border and increased inspections of combat readiness of grassroots units, especially in key areas. Participation in search and rescue drills, border combat group drills, and district and provincial defense area drills all achieved good results.

Proud of the unit's tradition, Colonel Vu Duc Tu, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard Command, shared: After more than 60 years of building, fighting and growing, Son La Border Guard has inherited the heroic fighting tradition of the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Public Security, together with the Party Committee, government, people of all ethnic groups and armed units in the province to overcome all difficulties and hardships, successfully completing the task of protecting the Party, protecting the government and important targets in the country, maintaining sovereignty and border security in all situations. Building and firmly consolidating the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

People's border defense posture in the "fence" area

Building a solid "All-people posture" and "All-people border defense posture" in the border area has always been a central and important political task of the Border Guard force. Colonel Ca Van Lap, Political Commissar of the Border Guard Command of Son La province, said: The Party Committee and the Border Guard Command of the province have seriously and effectively led the implementation of Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW dated September 28, 2018 of the Politburo on the National Border Protection Strategy; Conclusion No. 68-KL/TW dated February 5, 2020 of the Secretariat on the policy of increasing the number of Party Committee members who are border guard station officers participating in the Party Committees of districts and border communes; Directive No. 01/CT-TTg dated January 9, 2015 of the Prime Minister on "Organizing the movement of all people participating in protecting territorial sovereignty and national border security in the new situation". At the same time, propagate and mobilize people in border areas to join hands and participate in managing and protecting national borders.

Implementing the Project "Arranging Border Guard officers to strengthen their participation in the Party Committees of border communes, holding the position of Deputy Party Secretary of the commune", up to now, 6 comrades commanding border posts have participated in the Party Committees of 6 border districts. The Provincial Border Guard Command has mobilized 17 officers to strengthen 17 border communes, holding the position of Deputy Party Secretary in charge of Party building work, consolidating the grassroots political system. At the same time, 215 officers and professional soldiers have been assigned to help 424 households and 158 party members participate in activities at 130 border village Party cells.

Officers and soldiers of the Chieng Khuong Border Guard Station, Song Ma district, mobilize people to comply with legal regulations.

Major Bui Xuan Dung, Border Guard Station of Chieng Khuong border gate, Song Ma district, shared: My teammates and I were assigned by the unit to participate in activities at the Party cells of the border villages and the special Party cells of the commune. Through these activities, we have a better understanding of the political security situation and social order and safety in the area, thereby advising the local Party Committee, authorities and unit commanders to promptly resolve incidents and prevent "hot spots" from occurring in the area.

To improve the lives of people in border areas, the Provincial Border Guard Command has worked with local Party committees and authorities of border districts and communes to mobilize resources from organizations and individuals inside and outside the province, and the support of working days from officers and soldiers of the Provincial Border Guard to help people develop the economy and society. In particular, effectively promoting projects invested by the Provincial Border Guard, such as: Roads, irrigation, clean water works... with a total investment in the period of 2019 - 2023 of over 15 billion VND. At the same time, maintaining the model of "Planting fruit trees on sloping land", with a scale of 4.7 hectares of plums in Chieng Tuong commune, Yen Chau district; 2.6 hectares of passion fruit trees in Long Sap commune, Moc Chau district...

Officers and soldiers of Chieng Son Border Post, Moc Chau district, exchange large cattle raising techniques with people in the commune.

The programs "Spring Border Guard warms the hearts of the villagers", "Accompanying women in the border areas", "National Border Guard Festival", each year support from 600 - 1,200 Tet gifts for the poor in border communes. The project "Army officers and soldiers help children go to school" has supported 155 children in difficult circumstances in the border area, with a level of 600,000 VND/child/month of study (support for 9 months/1 school year). "Charity rice jars" at 10 Border Guard Stations, support 2,800 kg of rice/year for poor households... The above activities have built a beautiful image of green-uniformed soldiers in the hearts of the people and actively contributed to building a "solid national border defense posture".

Representatives of Muong Leo Border Guard Station and leaders of Muong Leo commune presented gifts to families in difficult circumstances.

With the help of the Border Guard, Mr. Song A Chong, Pha Luong village, Chieng Son commune, Moc Chau district, was moved: After 5 years of drug addiction, in 2018, I was encouraged by the soldiers at the Chieng Son Border Guard Station to go to the provincial drug addiction treatment facility for rehabilitation; two years later, I was able to return to my hometown. At the end of 2023, my family received support from the border guards with 20 million VND and nearly 40 working days to build a new house and receive guidance on livestock raising techniques. Currently, the family has 2 breeding cows; growing nearly 1 hectare of corn. I also work as a construction worker, with a salary of 300,000 VND/day. The total income of the family is 150 million VND/year. I am very grateful to the Border Guard soldiers for encouraging and helping me rebuild my life.

Building a peaceful, friendly and developed border

Implementing the directives and resolutions of the Central and the province on foreign affairs of national defense and border affairs in the new situation, every year, the Party Committee and the Provincial Border Guard Command have advised the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee on local foreign affairs. At the same time, they have directed the border posts to advise the Party Committees and the People's Committees of the districts and border communes on people's foreign affairs activities on both sides of the border and support for Laos.

Officers and soldiers of Nam Lanh Border Post and Border Guard Company 211, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command (Lao PDR) conduct bilateral patrol

Discussing this task, Colonel Nguyen Dinh Huan, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, shared: The unit has advised on the signing of cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding with the northern provinces of the Lao PDR. Regularly inform and exchange information on the situation related to the protection of border security and sovereignty. Verify and prevent the activities of reactionary organizations and anti-Party and anti-government groups of the two countries; propaganda activities, attracting people to participate in the establishment of the "Mong State" and propaganda activities that cause political instability and security, affecting the special solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Laos. At the same time, effectively implement international treaties and agreements on borders and border gates between Vietnam and Laos, especially with the provinces of Hua Phan and Luang Prabang.

In 2013, the policy of signing a twinning agreement between the villages on both sides of the Vietnam - Laos border was coordinated by the Provincial Border Guard Command with the People's Committee of Yen Chau district, directing the Chieng On Border Guard Station and the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station to coordinate and advise the Party Committees and authorities of the 4 communes of Chieng On, Phieng Khoai, Long Phieng and Chieng Tuong to organize twinning agreements for 7 pairs of villages. Over the years, the people of the twinning villages have always been united and actively participated with the border protection forces of each side in patrolling and protecting the border and landmarks, and together resolved incidents in a reasonable and sympathetic manner, ensuring compliance with the Agreement on border regulations and the laws of each country. The twinning of villages on both sides of the border has significantly contributed to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developed Vietnam - Laos border.

Son La Provincial Border Guard transferred 2 tons of rice to Border Guard Company 213, Military Command of Hua Phan Province (Lao PDR).

Mr. Dang Van Cuong, Chairman of Phieng Khoai Commune People's Committee, said: The commune has two pairs of villages: Lao Kho I (Vietnam) - Na Khang (Laos); Bo Sinh and Lao Kho II (Vietnam) - Pha Long (Laos). The pairs of villages regularly coordinate to resolve incidents related to the two sides of the border..On the occasion of holidays and New Year of each side, people of the pair of villages visit and encourage each other; organize cultural and sports exchanges; share production experiences; supply materials and consume agricultural products for people of the villages in the neighboring country.

Every year, the Border Guard Command of Son La province and the Military Command, Public Security of Hua Phan and Luang Prabang provinces (Lao PDR) hold annual talks. At the talks, the two sides thoroughly grasped and seriously and effectively implemented the contents of the Minutes of Agreement between the Border Guard Command/Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and the Border Guard Department/General Staff of the Lao People's Army. Accordingly, on average, each year, the functional forces on both sides of the border have organized 40 or more bilateral patrols. Strictly maintain the control of entry and exit, import and export at border gates and openings on the border, facilitating border traffic in accordance with the laws of each country, the Agreement on Border Management Regulations and Land Border Gates of Vietnam - Laos. The Border Guard Force of Son La province also supported raw materials to build infrastructure, essential goods for daily life... for military units in Hua Phan and Luang Prabang provinces...

Officers and soldiers of Muong Cai Border Post and Company 212 (Lao PDR) perform the landmark salute ceremony.

Coming to the border areas of the province today, it is clear that people's lives are improving. However, the border areas of the province still have potential for complex and unpredictable developments, especially illegal religious activities; illegal migration; land disputes; clan conflicts... The poverty rate is high, with some areas having over 40% of poor and near-poor households. Drug crime activities in some border areas are complicated; many reckless subjects use hot weapons to fight back against the authorities when discovered. In that situation, the provincial Border Guard force continues to promote its core role, deploy policies and professional measures, effectively carry out the work of ensuring security and order in the border areas, firmly protecting the "fence" of the Fatherland.

(To be continued)

Reporter team

Protecting the border early and from afar: Part 1. A solid wall (baosonla.org.vn)