Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamand Laos have enjoyed a traditional friendship, special solidarity and thrivingpartnership in all fields.

Over the past years, politicalties between the two countries have been expanded with stronger trust, playingthe key role in bilateral relations. The two sides have held regular meetingsand delegation exchanges in all channels.

The bilateral partnership indefence, security and external affairs has improved with the close coordinationin ensuring political stability, defence and security in each country andbuilding a shared border of peace, stability and development.

Along with the effectiveaffiliation in implementing a project to upgrade the border marker system,Vietnam and Laos have worked together to fight trans-border crimes, deal withundocumented marriage and free migration in the border areas and search andrepatriate the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died in Laos, with 233 setsof remains repatriated in the 2017-2018 dry season.

Vietnam and Laos have regularlyexchanged viewpoints on regional and international issues, while coordinatingwith and supporting each other at multilateral cooperation forums, especiallywithin the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) andthe United Nations.

Meanwhile, cooperation in economy,culture, education-training and science-technology has also developed.

By December 2018, Vietnam hasinvested in 409 projects worth 4.1 billion USD in Laos, mostly in hydropower,mining, industrial plant growing and services. Among the completed andoperating projects are Xekaman 1 hydropower plant, Muong Thanh Vientiane Hotel,Crown Plaza and Viettel Laos.

Two new projects worth 12.81million USD were approved in 2017, and eight others with total capital of 95million USD were licensed in 2018.

The two sides have implemented a newbilateral trade agreement, a border trade deal and a revised protocol on goodstransit, among others, while launching the “one door-one stop” at LaoBao-Densavanh border gate.

Last year, two-way trade hit nearly1 billion USD. Vietnam imported beverages, wood, mineral products andagricultural products from Laos, while exporting oil and gas, fertiliser, steel,machines, electric equipment, construction materials and spare parts to theneighbouring country.

The Ministries of Transport ofVietnam and Laos signed a cooperation agreement for 2016-2020, while conductingtransport connection projects within bilateral and sub-regional cooperation frameworks.Vietnam and Laos have collaborated in implementing two major projects, namely theHanoi-Vientiane expressway with a length of about 725km and the Vung Ang-TanAp-Mu Gia-Thakhaek-Vientiane railway.

The two ministries have alsosigned a memorandum of understanding on developing three wharfs at Vung Angport, while speeding up the construction of Nongkhang airport in Houaphanprovince of Laos so the project can be completed in 2019 as scheduled.

In terms of education andtraining, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam has handed overVietnamese language textbooks from 1st to 12th grades toLaos, which is being piloted in Nguyen Du school.

Vietnam has sent Vietnameseteachers to 28 establishments in 11 cities and provinces of Laos, whilesupporting Laos in designing six education-training works.

In 2018, Vietnam granted 1,271scholarships to Lao officials and students. So far, 14,686 Lao students havestudied in Vietnam, and 260 Vietnamese are studying in Laos. Vietnam has also held24 short-term courses for 497 management officials of Laos.

Bilateral ties between localities,especially those along the shared border, have also been expanded, especiallyin infrastructure, healthcare, personnel training, poverty reduction andsecurity.

The upcoming visit of GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong toLaos from February 24-25, his first trip abroad in his new positions as the topleader of the both Party and State, aims to strengthen the traditionalfriendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries,while affirming Vietnam’s policy of treasuring and prioritizing its ties withLaos.

This is a chance for the twosides to discuss cooperation plans and measures to enhance the quality andefficiency of the Vietnam-Laos relations in all spheres.

Through the visit, Party GeneralSecretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong affirms Vietnam’s comprehensivesupport to Laos’ reform cause, national defence and construction, as well asthe implementation of targets set by the 10th Congress of the LaoPeople’s Revolutionary Party.-VNA