On December 14, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, warmly received and held talks in Hanoi with his Lao counterpart, Mrs. Suansavanh Viyaketh, Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos.

The meeting was attended by Vietnamese officials including Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director General of the International Cooperation Department, and leaders from various departments and offices of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam. The Lao delegation included Mr. Alune Bunmixay, Head of the Personnel Organization Department of the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism; Mrs. Latana Siharaj, Deputy Ambassador of Laos to Vietnam; and representatives from various departments under the Lao Ministry.

This visit is part of the Lao Culture Week in Vietnam for the year 2023, taking place in Hanoi and Ninh Binh province from December 13 to 18.

During the talks, Minister Nguyen Van Hung expressed his delight at welcoming the Lao Minister and her delegation to Vietnam on the occasion of Lao Culture Week in Vietnam. The meeting aimed to review the cooperation over the past year and to identify initiatives for 2024.

Reflecting on the year 2023, Minister Nguyen Van Hung was pleased to note that both ministries closely adhered to the foreign policy directions, commitments, and declarations made by the senior leaders of the two Parties and states. He highlighted the achievements of 2022, a year marked by the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, as a solid foundation for continued success in 2023.

Minister Nguyen Van Hung pointed out several highlights in the recent cooperation between the two ministries. Firstly, the spread of cultural soft power of each nation, with people-centric creative approaches, has led to numerous cultural exchanges and enhanced mutual understanding.

He noted the vibrant cultural activities organized by provinces along the Vietnam-Laos border, such as cultural weeks and exchange days, which integrate culture with social welfare activities, positively impacting the socio-economic lives of the people in line with the spirit of the two countries' leadership.

Secondly, both sides have committed to alternately organizing Cultural Weeks in each country, with Laos supporting Vietnam in successfully hosting the Vietnam Culture Week in Laos. Thirdly, beyond regular cultural weeks and exchange days, the ministries have conducted in-depth research to propose the joint nomination of Hin Nam No National Park as a transboundary World Heritage site with Vietnam's Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province.

The fourth highlight, according to Minister Nguyen Van Hung, is in the field of tourism, where both ministries have facilitated travel between the two countries. Vietnam has consistently been the second-largest source of tourists to Laos, and Laos remains one of the top 15 markets for Vietnamese tourism. In 2022, following the reopening of tourism post-COVID-19, the exchange of visitors between the two countries has been noteworthy, with Vietnam welcoming 112,451 Lao visitors and Laos receiving 608,678 Vietnamese tourists in the first nine months of 2023.

Minister Suansavanh Viyaketh agreed with Minister Nguyen Van Hung's assessment of the cultural and tourism cooperation results. She emphasized that the collaboration reflects the special solidarity tradition between the two fraternal nations and has contributed to strengthening the special friendship and cooperation between the two Parties, states, and peoples.

Minister Viyaketh shared that following the control of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lao government has prioritized tourism as a key economic driver and source of national revenue. Consequently, the government has directed the ministry to implement tourism programs and develop new tourism products to attract visitors. Vietnam remains the second-largest source of tourists to Laos, just after Thailand.

Lao tourists also show a keen interest in visiting Vietnam for its rich traditional and historical sites and beautiful beaches, especially in the Central and Southern regions, while Laos is landlocked.

Minister Viyaketh expressed her hope for continued coordination and support from the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in cultural and tourism cooperation, including organizing exchange activities, cultural weeks, training personnel in both sectors, and working on the joint nomination of Hin Nam No National Park as a transboundary World Heritage site with Vietnam's Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Minister Nguyen Van Hung acknowledged and supported these proposals, instructing relevant agencies within his ministry to collaborate in the spirit of good friendship and cooperation between the two countries. For matters beyond his ministry's authority, he assured that proposals would be elevated to higher levels. Minister Nguyen Van Hung also expressed confidence that the day's discussions would lead to new developments in cultural and tourism cooperation between the two ministries in the near future.