Vietnam's Deputy PM Pledges Support for Dien Bien Province's Development

On September 5th, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc of Vietnam visited Dien Bien Province to discuss the progress of economic and social development, national defense, security, and foreign affairs for the first eight months of 2026, as well as tasks and solutions for the remaining months of the year. Dien Bien Province requested the government to build more multi-grade boarding schools in disadvantaged areas. The province is currently constructing nine such schools, some of which have already been put into use. An additional budget of over 49.5 billion VND (approximately $2.4 million USD) has been allocated for the implementation of policies for boarding students. The province reported receiving approximately 55,000 tourists by August 2026. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed the government's commitment to supporting Dien Bien Province's development, particularly focusing on improving educational infrastructure and promoting the tourism industry. This aligns with the government's objective under Vietnam's one-party system to reduce regional economic disparities and improve citizens' livelihoods. For Vietnam, which shares a complex relationship with China, the stability and development of Dien Bien Province, a border region, are also important from a national defense and security perspective.