Vietnamese, Laos provinces bolster border security cooperation (Photo:VNA)

Vietnam’s central Quang Binh province and Laos' Khammouane province,concurred to continue stepping up all-around cooperation this year under an agreement signed on April 6.

The Lao delegation was led by Oday Sudaphon, Secretary of the provincial Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Governor of Khammouane also held talks during which, they briefed each other on the socio-economic development, defence-security situation, and the Party and administration building in their localities and also reviewed the implementation of the minutes of the talks signed in Thakhek, Khammouane, on March 29, 2017.

Hoang Dang Quang, Secretary of the Quang Binh provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council highlighted the sound the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two provinces.

Regarding the partnership in 2018, both sides consented to offer more favourable conditions for their Party agencies, administrations and organisations to share experiences while helping border districts provide mutual support to spur common development.

The two provinces will enhance trade, investment and tourism promotion and adopt incentive policies to encentivise these activities between their businesses. They will work hand in hand to preserve and promote biodiversity values of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh and Hin Nam No biodiversity conservation area in Khammouane.

Quang Binh is destined to receive students from Khammouane province and provide Vietnamese language and specialised training to officials of the Lao province.

They were in agreement to facilitate a project on building a bonded warehouse and oil pipeline from Hon La Port in Quang Binh to Khammouane, and construction of a section crossing the two provinces under the Vung Ang – Vientiane railway project.

They will maintain mutual visits between their border working groups and military, police and border guard delegations to exchange experience and augment cooperation.

The two sides will impart information about the Vietnam-Laos agreement on land border and border gate management regulations, coordinate to deal with border-related issues well, and realise the two Governments’ agreement on the settlement of free migration and undocumented marriages in border areas. 

The provinces will also work together on issues relating to the upgrade and repair of border markers and roads traversing their border gates, along with the search and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos.

At the talks, a diplomatic cooperation agreement was also inked in the aim of boosting bilateral ties.

On this occasion, the provincial People’s Committee of Quang Binh presented certificates of merit to three organisations and six persons of Khammouane in recognition of their contributions to the solidarity between the two localities.