Hà Bắc province was re-established into Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh provinces on November 6, 1996, as per the decision of the 10th session of the National Assembly IX. The re-establishment became effective from January 1, 1997. This information is supported by various sources including Vietnamese Wikipedia and official government websites of Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh provinces.