Over the past time, border guards have actively participated in building and consolidating the political system, helping locals develop their economy, and providing support during natural disasters. They have played a crucial role in constructing a strong, people-based border defense.

Điện Biên province, which shares a 455.573km border with Laos and China, is a key location for the border guard. The province’s border with Laos stretches 414.712km, while its border with China is 40.861km long. As the core force protecting the nation’s borders, the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command is deeply aware of its role and responsibility. They serve as a reliable pillar for ethnic communities in the border region. The image and actions of these soldiers in green uniforms have left a lasting impression on locals.

In 2024, Điện Biên province faced severe flooding caused by storms, resulting in significant losses. The border guard force quickly responded, supporting search and rescue efforts, relocating people to safety, and providing guidance on environmental sanitation and healthcare. Despite the challenges, these soldiers worked tirelessly to help locals relocate their belongings.

Their efforts have strengthened ties between the military and civilians, contributing to a robust, people-based border defense. Notably, border residents are willing to participate in joint patrols with the border guard force, protecting borders and milestones, and providing timely information on crimes and illegal border crossings.

Managing and protecting the long and treacherous border terrain, with numerous trails and open paths, poses significant challenges to patrol, control, and prevent criminal activities. Despite these obstacles, the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command has effectively managed and protected national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and border security, contributing to the development of a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative, and prosperous border region. The provincial Border Guard Command has signed cooperation agreements with the party committees of four border districts (Mường Nhé, Mường Chà, Nậm Pồ and Điện Biên), assigning border guard personnel to participate in party committees to consolidate the political foundation and promote socio-economic development in the border region. The provincial Border Guard Command has assigned four border station commanders to participate in the party committees of four border districts, 29 officers to hold deputy secretary positions in 29 border communes, 83 party members to participate in grassroots party cells, and 430 party members to oversee over 1,600 disadvantaged households in the border region. This force directly advises, proposes, and develops cooperation programs to ensure security and order, maintaining peaceful borders. Thousands of border guard officers and soldiers have disseminated laws and regulations to residents, promoting activities that strengthen military-civilian ties, such as “accompanying border women”, “adopting border children”, and “warming the hearts of border villagers”.

Sín Thầu commune in Mường Nhé district, bordering both Laos and China, has overcome numerous difficulties with the border guard’s dedicated support, particularly from the A Pa Chải Border Post. The commune has effectively tapped its potential, developing production and becoming the first new rural-style commune in Mường Nhé district. Given Sín Thầu’s valuable forest resources, spanning 10,000 hectares, the A Pa Chải Border Post has collaborated with local authorities to raise awareness about forest protection and development, promptly preventing forest encroachment. Concurrently, the border guard has implemented a livelihood model, planting sa nhân trees (amonmum) under the forest canopy, protecting the forest while benefiting from it.

From a 2ha pilot model of sa nhân to date, Sìn Thầu commune has expanded to 150ha of purple sa nhân (Amomum longiligulare) planted under the forest canopy. The border guard officers and soldiers have guided locals in shifting from growing corn and rice on hill slopes to planting fruit trees like grapefruits, jackfruits, and longans. This is part of the “border guard garden” model initiated by the A Pa Chải Border Post in Tá Miếu village in 2021.

Seeing the effectiveness of this approach, local residents have put their trust in the border guards’ guidance, from developing production to registering for self-management of border roads, territorial landmarks, and national border. The role of reputable community leaders, village elders, and village heads has been promoted, actively mobilizing people to participate in border protection with the slogan “Each citizen is a living landmark”.

In addition to their border protection duties, the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command has also excelled in external border affairs, including bilateral meetings and talks with Lao and Chinese authorities, joint patrols with Lao and Chinese border protection forces, and maintaining a twinning movement between border residents to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developed border.

Through these efforts, the border guard has promptly detected and advised on resolving incidents along the border, avoiding passivity and surprise.

The Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command has contributed to safeguarding the nation’s borders and territory, building a peaceful and friendly border, improving the lives of border residents, and creating sustainable development in the nation’s border areas.