During a meeting with the Điện Biên delegation, the Governor of Saint Petersburg highlighted that since 2020, when Việt Nam became a priority country in the city's foreign relations, Saint Petersburg has expanded its partnerships with various Vietnamese localities. The city, a heroic symbol during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, takes pride in signing agreements with Điện Biên, the site of the legendary 1954 Điện Biên Phủ campaign that resonated worldwide.

The Governor proposed several promising avenues for cooperation, including education, economic development, agricultural exports, tourism, and heritage preservation. Both sides agreed to discuss specific cooperation initiatives based on the recently signed twinning agreement. He also noted that Russia and Việt Nam, along with Saint Petersburg and Điện Biên, are preparing to commemorate two significant milestones: the 80th anniversary of Saint Petersburg's liberation from the Nazi siege and the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ victory, often referred to as "Vietnam's Stalingrad."

Trần Quốc Cường, Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee, expressed the province's honour and enthusiasm in signing agreements with the city, particularly in trade, tourism, and heritage preservation. He highlighted plans for museum exhibitions featuring artefacts and historical materials related to the Great Patriotic War’s Leningrad campaign and the Điện Biên Phủ victory.

Speaking about the "Echoes of Điện Biên" exhibition in Saint Petersburg, the Secretary noted that this event serves not only as an opportunity to honour historic victories but also as a platform to introduce international friends to the beauty and development potential of modern Điện Biên—a region transforming dynamically while preserving its rich historical and cultural values.

According to the cooperation agreement on trade, economics, science and technology, society, and the humanities, both parties agreed on several key points, including: fostering collaboration in the fields of culture, trade and economy, science and technology, as well as society and the humanities, based on the principles of mutual benefit, understanding, respect, and trust; facilitating the participation of organisations from both sides in fairs, exhibitions, and other events, as well as exchanging information in various fields; and promoting enhanced cultural, economic, and trade cooperation between cultural and economic entities registered in the city of Saint Petersburg and those registered in Điện Biên Province.

The themed photo exhibition "Echoes of Điện Biên" features 57 documentary photos arranged into 11 panels. Notably, in addition to the documentary photos, the exhibition also includes 22 sketch drawings by front-line artist and People's Artist Ngô Mạnh Lân, vividly capturing the heroic battles of our soldiers in Điện Biên Phủ and the images of civilian porters braving bombings and muddy terrain to deliver food and ammunition to the battlefield.

As part of the activities in the city, the delegation explored in-depth the experiences of organising exhibitions and the techniques of preservation and restoration at historical sites.