Moscow (VNA) 𝓀– The northern province of Dien Bien and St. Petersburg, the second largest city of Russia, signed an agreement on trade-economic, scientific-technical, social, and humanitarian cooperation on November 29.

The signing was part of the working visit to Russia by a delegation of Dien Bien province led by Tran Quoc Cuong, a member of the Central Party Committee and Secretary of the Dien Bien provincial Party Committee. Welcoming the Dien Bien delegation on November 29, St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov expressed his impressions of the province, saying that as the first place where President Ho Chi Minh set foot 101 years ago, the northern capital of Russia has always held an important position in the relationship between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union, as well as Russia today. Since Vietnam became the first priority country in Saint Petersburg's foreign activities in 2020, the city has further expanded its relations with various localities in Vietnam. According to Governor Beglov, the city, which withstood the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), is proud of its partnership with Dien Bien, where the legendary Dien Bien Phu Campaign took place in 1954, resonating worldwide. For his part, Cuong expressed his deep emotions upon witnessing the historic city - where many outstanding leaders of the former Soviet Union and Russia today, brilliant scientists, artists, and famous athletes were born, studied, and worked. He highlighted that Saint Petersburg was the site of the October Revolution of 1917, a milestone that propelled humanity into an era of overthrowing colonialism and imperialism, leading to successful revolutions such as Vietnam’s August Revolution in 1945, which brought independence and freedom to the nation. During the meeting, Beglov proposed several promising directions for the two localities to promote cooperation in areas such as education, economy, agricultural exports, tourism, and particularly heritage preservation. Both sides agreed to discuss specific cooperation directions soon based on the signed twinning agreement. On the same day, Beglov and Cuong inaugurated a thematic photo exhibition featured 57 documentary photos about Dien Bien Phu Victory. The exhibition also features 22 sketches by People's Artist Ngo Manh Lan, a frontline artist, who captured the heroic battle of Vietnamese soldiers at Dien Bien Phu and the resilience of local people who braved bombings and mud to transport supplies to the battlefield. As part of the activities in the St. Petersburg, the delegation also explored experiences in organising exhibitions and conservation techniques at historical sites, ensuring that significant historical milestones are not only well-preserved but also presented in a vibrant and engaging manner for future generations./.