Speaking at the ceremony, permanent member of the Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong praised the achievements recorded by the province in recent years but noted that its economy remains small with a low level of competitiveness.

He urged the provincial authorities to strive to overcome difficulties so as to transform Yen Bai into a moderately well-off province in the northern mountainous region.

The senior Party official also asked the province to pay attention to protecting natural resources, especially forests and mineral resources.

Yen Bai Province was established under French colonial rule in 1900 and was home to an uprising staged by the Vietnamese Nationalist Party leader Nguyen Thai Hoc in 1930.

The uprising was suppressed but created significant resonance in the revolutionary movement in Vietnam and the world at the time.

During the subsequent wars against the foreign powers following the August Revolution, Yen Bai Province upheld its heroic tradition and made significant contributions to the final victory.

On this occasion, the people and government of Yen Bai Province were awarded with the Independence Order, first class.