The Narrow-Gauge Dien-Viet Railway: A legacy of Vietnam–China friendship
WVR - On the morning of June 25, Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung attended and delivered the opening speech at the Photo Exhibition on the Heritage of the Narrow-Gauge Dien-Viet Railway with the theme “A Century-Old Promise – Connecting the World” in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.
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| Award ceremony for photographers with outstanding works. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
The exhibition was attended by representatives from the Kunming City Department of Culture and Tourism, leaders of the Wuhua District Arts and Culture Association, executives from several Chinese railway companies, and over 300 delegates, journalists, and photographers from China, France, and Vietnamese researchers in Yunnan. The French Consul General in Chengdu attended and spoke online.
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| Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the Photo Exhibition. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
The exhibition's works mainly feature stations along the railway from Hai Phong to Kunming, including many pieces showcasing the century-old Long Bien Bridge with its unique architecture.
The Dien-Viet Railway (Yunnan-Vietnam), connecting Kunming with Hai Phong, was initiated in the early 20th century and officially put into operation in 1910. Spanning over 850 km, it was the first cross-border railway between China and Vietnam and one of the region's significant transportation projects of that era.
For more than a century, the Dien-Viet Railway has not only served as a passenger and freight transport route but has also fostered economic, trade, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people interactions between localities of the two countries.
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| The chief director of the Photo Exhibition introduces Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung to the time when President Ho Chi Minh traveled to Kunming on the Dien-Viet Railway during his revolutionary activities in Yunnan, China. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
Notably, between 1932 and 1940, President Ho Chi Minh frequently traveled to Kunming on this railway, leaving numerous revolutionary footprints.
The Dien-Viet Railway also stands as a historical testament to President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities in Yunnan, China.
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| Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung with the Deputy General Director of the Qingdao Railway Company, China, viewing a photo by the Chinese chief director and photographer. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
In his opening remarks at the exhibition, Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung emphasized the role of infrastructure connectivity in promoting development between the two countries and the region. He reiterated the agreement reached between the high-level leaders of the two countries in the Vietnam-China Joint Statement last April during the State visit to China by General Secretary, President To Lam, to accelerate infrastructure connectivity, including railways, making railway cooperation a new highlight in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
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| Award-winning work by a Vietnamese photographer. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
The Consul General stated that organizing the exhibition is not only an opportunity for the people of both countries to reflect on the historical value of this unique project but also a chance to contemplate the important role and significance of infrastructure connectivity, transportation, logistics, and cross-border trade in promoting the development of both countries, especially in the context of deep economic integration and rapid scientific and technological advancements today.
This is the second time the Kunming city government and related units have organized this exhibition to promote the cultural and tourism heritage of the Dien-Viet Railway. It also serves as a moment for intellectuals, scholars, businesses, and citizens of both countries to reminisce about the century-old railway that connects trade and neighborly friendship, thereby contributing to promoting cultural and tourism cooperation between border localities of the two countries in the future.
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| A French photographer introduces Consul General Nghiem Viet Chung to the station map along the Dien-Viet Railway. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
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| Vietnamese researchers in Yunnan take a photo with the Consul General at the exhibition. (Source: Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming) |
