In the course of the administrative restructuring process at the commune level under the Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, initial reactions arose in some localities of the province, mainly concerning the naming of new communes and determining the location of administrative offices.

In Điện Biên district, the merger of three communes: Na Tông, Hẹ Muông, and Núa Ngam into a new commune was implemented as per the regulations. According to the plan, the new commune is named Núa Ngam, and the administrative center is located at the center of the former Núa Ngam commune. However, some residents, particularly in the five mountainous villages of Sơn Tống, Gia Phú A, Gia Phú B, Huổi Chanh, and Hin Son, expressed concerns that the location of the new administrative center is too far, making it inconvenient for administrative transactions. Some suggested that the center should be located in Na Tông, where access is easier for the majority of residents in the mountainous areas. In some cases, there were plans to organize transport to bring the party secretaries of the villages to the province to “petition,” making the situation more complicated and allowing malicious actors to exploit the issue and spread misinformation on social media.

However, under the close guidance of the provincial People’s Committee and the timely, decisive action of the party committees and local authorities in Điện Biên district and Na Tông commune, public communication, dialogue, and explanation activities were carried out at the grassroots level, reaching every household. As a result, the initial skepticism and dissatisfaction gradually diminished, and people became more supportive and trusting.

Vi Văn Biến, Chairman of the Na Tông commune’s People’s Committee, shared: “It’s understandable that people have concerns. But if we don’t provide timely and transparent information, bad actors can take advantage, which would be very dangerous. The decision to place the office at Núa Ngam was carefully considered based on land availability, infrastructure connections, and long-term development plans. Now, people understand and support the overall policy.”

A similar situation occurred in Mường Nhà commune (Điện Biên district) during the merger of three communes: Mường Lói, Mường Nhà, and Phu Luông. Although most of the people agreed with the merger plan, there were objections regarding the location of the administrative center in Phu Luông. Some people suggested choosing Mường Nhà commune, which is believed to have a better infrastructure and historical significance. According to authorities and local governments, three individuals from this area incited the people to make unreasonable demands and even posted false information on social media, causing confusion among the public.

In response to concerns from the grassroots level, provincial authorities have recognized that in the context of digital transformation and the prevalence of misleading information online, major policies, if not well protected by ideologically sound, official media, are susceptible to distortion and exaggeration, leading to uncontrollable chain reactions. Therefore, the entire political system needs to proactively engage with high responsibility, not waiting for issues to arise before addressing them but instead taking the lead in shaping public opinion.

The leadership of the provincial government has quickly directed ideological guidance and initiated broad, effective public communication efforts regarding the goals and significance of the administrative restructuring. From the province down to the grassroots, the political mobilization work has been well organized, flexible, and tailored to the needs of each demographic and area. Political-social organizations such as the Fatherland Front, Farmers’ Association, Youth Union, and Women’s Union have played an important role in connecting the Party, government, and people, actively mobilizing their members and the wider public to support the general policy. Not only have these organizations advocated for support, but many have also organized small group meetings, dialogue sessions in specific localities to quickly address concerns and resolve doubts at their roots. This coordinated and thorough involvement has created a “soft shield” that ensures ideological stability in the community and reinforces trust in the leadership of the Party and State. This is also a clear demonstration of modern leadership thinking, where the focus is placed on people and the political and social stability in every step of administrative reform.

As of now, the entire province of Điện Biên has successfully completed the restructuring of commune-level administrative units as planned. According to the Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, Điện Biên has streamlined its communes from 129 to 45 administrative units (42 communes and 3 towns). All conditions regarding personnel, offices, management data, and operation systems are ready for the newly restructured communes to officially begin operations on July 1, 2025. The coordinated and systematic involvement of the entire political system, from the province to the grassroots level, in ensuring safety and security has shown Điện Biên’s determination to successfully implement a major policy of the Party and State.