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According to historical records, after the Geneva Accords were signed, Vietnam used the 17th parallel as a temporary military demarcation line for the troop withdrawal of both sides. On a ship carrying Southern cadres, soldiers, and civilians to the North, Le Thi Sanh from Ranh Hat, Tri Phai Commune, Thoi Binh District, Ca Mau Province, sent a star apple tree to Comrade Nguyen Trung Kien, the company commander of the 370th Artillery Company, 307th Battalion, as a gift for President Ho Chi Minh.

The message accompanying the tree reads "The people offer President Ho Chi Minh this star apple tree as a promise that the people of the South, especially the people of Tri Phai Commune, will always remain loyal to the revolutionary cause led by President Ho Chi Minh and are determined to overcome all difficulties to protect and build our country." The star apple tree was carefully nurtured on the Kilinski ship during its journey to the North.

Nguyen Minh Luan, vice chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee awarded the provincial and city level relic ranking certificate to local government representatives.

On January 26, 1955, Nguyen Van Kinh, representing the people of the South, presented a star apple tree to President Ho Chi Minh. Deeply moved, the President planted the tree near his workplace and personally took care of it every day. The star apple tree became a symbol of the Southern people's affection for President Ho Chi Minh, and reflected his deep feelings for the people and soldiers of the South.

In 2004, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the relocation to the North (1954-2004), the People's Committee of Ca Mau province built a monument commemorating President Ho Chi Minh and the Southern star apple tree in Hamlet 10, Tri Phai Commune, Thoi Binh District, on the land of Le Thi Sanh, as a tribute to President Ho Chi Minh's deep affection for the people of the South and their unwavering loyalty to him. On the 70th anniversary of this historic event (1954-2024), Ca Mau province has decided to upgrade and renovate the monument, officially classify it as a provincial historical relic.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Minh Luan, vice chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, called on all levels of the Party and local authorities to find effective solutions to promote the value of the newly classified historical site. He also emphasized the need to strengthen traditional education for the younger generation, leverage the site's value to serve tourism, and stimulate economic development. Luan further suggested that residents of Tri Phai and Tri Luc communes, especially those living along the Chac Bang canal, should actively plant star apple trees on their land to create star apple orchards for tourists.

Memorial stele of Uncle Ho with the Southern star apple tree.

At the ceremony, the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee also launched a program to eliminate substandard housing for people with meritorious services, families of martyrs, the poor, and near-poor households across the province. The goal is to completely eradicate substandard housing by August 2025. The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee called on each locality to implement the program in a timely, transparent, and democratic manner, encouraging maximum community participation. He also urged the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other socio-political organizations to actively participate in the program to ensure its timely completion.

On this occasion, the Ca Mau Youth Union, in collaboration with relevant agencies, launched a series of activities to commemorate the 200-day relocation to the North, including meetings with historical witnesses, visits and gifts to policy beneficiaries, support for agricultural production, environmental protection activities, and cultural, sports, and artistic events. These activities aim to foster patriotism, determination, and a spirit of learning, and production among the younger generation.

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