Seminar spotlights 55 years of Vietnam-Laos special ties
A seminar was held in the south central province of Binh Thuan, to look into the five and a half decades of the special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.
Secretary of the Binh Thuan provincial Party Committee Nguyen Manh Hung speaks at the seminar (Photo: VNA)
Binh Thuan (VNA) –A seminar was held in Phan Thiet city, the south central province of BinhThuan, to look into the five and a half decades of the special friendship andcomprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.
The event was held by the Ho Chi Minh NationalAcademy of Politics, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the NationalAcademy of Politics and Public Administration of Laos, and the Lao Academy ofSocial Sciences.
Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh academy LeQuoc Ly said in the initial period of the fight against colonialism, the twocountries formed a military alliance to combat the common enemy. Volunteersoldiers of Vietnam came to join the Pathet Lao armed forces in the struggle.
The two sides’ undaunted fighting spirit,sacrifice and close coordination took the countries’ resistance war againstcolonialism to glorious victory, which was marked with the signing of theGeneva Accords in 1954, he noted.
Thongsalith Mangnomek, Director of the Laos’sNational Academy of Politics and Public Administration, said the Lao People’sRevolutionary Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam have maintained solidrelations as seen in the issuance of harmonious policies on the countries’solidarity. The cooperation and special solidarity between the two Parties andStates are flourishing with the assurance of leaders of both countries.
In the face of complex and unpredictable globalsituation and each country’s development demands, Vietnam and Laos give the toppriority to promoting their traditional friendship, special solidarity andcomprehensive cooperation to a new level under the motto of pragmatism, qualityand effectiveness.
They also agreed to bring economic ties on a parwith the sound political relations, and enhance Government-to-Government,locality-to-locality and business-to-business partnerships to boostconnectivity and mutual support between the two economies, he added.
It was reported at the seminar that Vietnam’sinvestment in Laos has amounted to nearly 4 billion USD since 1989. Bilateraltrade exceeded 800 million USD in 2016. Vietnam has continually supported itsneighbouring country in poverty reduction and national development. The twosides have also worked to bolster transport connectivity and facilitate tradeand investment cooperation.-VNA
HCM City will coordinate with Lao localities,to organise events celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 40 years since the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation.
Competent agencies of Vietnam and Laos have coordinated with each other to ensure the movement of people and goods at the Bo Y-Phu Cua international border gate under the Hanoi Agreement reached by the two countries in 2007.
A protocol adjusting the goods transit agreement between Vietnam and Laos has been signed, creating favourable conditions for transit of goods between the two countries.
A ground-breaking ceremony for a building of the Lao parliament, a gift from Vietnam to Laos, will be held on July 18, 2017, which is also the day the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 1977.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
Secretary of the Binh Thuan provincial Party Committee Nguyen Manh Hung speaks at the seminar (Photo: VNA) 
