Battle of Núi Bop in the Sino-French War

Background. Following the Kép Campaign in October 1884, French forces maintained a forward base at Chu. In late December, Brière de l'Isle reinforced this garrison. By early January 1885, General de Négrier was ordered to take the offensive against Chinese forces. The Chinese Guangxi Army, commanded by Wang Debang, had concentrated around the village of Núi Bop to disrupt French preparations for the upcoming Lạng Sơn Campaign.

Engagement. General de Négrier attacked the substantial detachment of the Guangxi Army concentrated at Núi Bop. The battle was fought to clear Chinese forces away from the French forward base at Chu. Although the Chinese force was numerically superior, the French achieved a victory. This engagement is often considered de Négrier's professional masterpiece and was an essential preliminary to the Lạng Sơn Campaign in February 1885.

Significance. The victory at Núi Bop secured the French position at Chu, allowing the launch of the Lạng Sơn Campaign. This campaign subsequently drove Chinese forces from their entrenched camps at Dong Song and Bac Vie. The capture of Lạng Sơn enabled French forces to be diverted west to relieve the isolated garrison at Tuyên Quang, which had been under siege since November 1884.