Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung (centre) and other Vietnamese officials at the virtual meeting on November 2 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Laos held the seventh labour andsocial welfare ministers’ meeting via videoconference on November 2.
VietnameseMinister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung spoke highly ofconsiderable cooperation efforts by his ministry and the Lao Ministry of Labourand Social Welfare, especially amid complex developments in the region and theworld due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting the pandemic’s impacts on people’s life andsocio-economic development in her country, Lao Minister Baykham Khattiyaappreciated the Vietnamese Party and Government’s technical support andmedical supplies for Laos, affirming that cooperation between the twoministries has continued to be enhanced in multiple aspects.
Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Baykham Khattiya at the meeting on November 2 (Photo: VNA)
Concludingthe meeting, the two officials approved a report on the cooperation outcomesduring 2019 - 2021 and the cooperation orientations for 2021 - 2025 in terms oflabour and social affairs.
They signedan agreement on labour and social welfare cooperation under which theministries will step up ties in a practical and effective manner and diversifycooperation forms and mechanisms from ministerial to grassroots levels.
Both sidesalso agreed to organise the eighth labour andsocial welfare ministers’ meeting in Laos in 2023./.
The Vietnam Business Association for Cooperation and Investment in Laos (BACI) held an ceremony to mark the 17th anniversary of the Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day in both face-to-face and online forms in Vientiane on October 13.
Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and the Lao capital of Vientiane on October 15 held talks and witnessed the signing if a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the two authorities for 2021 – 2025.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and Laos surpassed 947 million USD in the first nine months of 2021, up 28.2 percent year-on-year, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in Laos.
Vietnam has decided to urgently support the Lao Party, State and people with 2.15 million USD and some medical supplies in aid of the nation’s efforts to combat the latest wave of COVID-19, informed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung at a ceremony held on October 25.
An 11-member working team from the central province of Quang Binh to Laos’ Khammouane province to help the bordering country fight COVID-19 returned home on October 25 after successfully completing their missions in two weeks.
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.
The ministry has instructed Vietnamese representative agencies in Israel, Iran, as well as those in neighbouring countries, to closely monitor the situation and request local authorities to ensure absolute safety for Vietnamese citizens living, studying, and working in high-risk areas.
Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung (centre) and other Vietnamese officials at the virtual meeting on November 2 (Photo: VNA) 
Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Baykham Khattiya at the meeting on November 2 (Photo: VNA) 
