Viet Nam – Laos Comprehensive Cooperation Grows Steadfastly to a New Level

The 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Laos (September 5, 1962 – September 5, 2012) and the 35th anniversary of signing the Viet Nam – Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (July 18, 1977 – July 18, 2012), held by Thai Nguyen Provincial Party Committee, Thai Nguyen Provincial People’s Council, Thai Nguyen Provincial People’s Committee and Thai Nguyen Provincial Fatherland Front Committee in association with the Provincial Viet Nam – Laos Friendship Association, took place in Thai Nguyen City on the evening of August 24.

The event was attended by Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister of Lao People’s Democratic Republic Somsavat Lengsavad; representative leaders of Laos’ provinces including Houaphan, Luang Prabang and Xiengkhuang; Representative chiefs of Lao Embassy in Viet Nam, Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, Vietnamese provinces as well as a great number of Lao students who are working and studying in the province. As representatives of Thai Nguyen, Vietnamese Party Central Committee Member, Secretary of Thai Nguyen Provincial Party Committee Pham Xuan Duong; Deputy Secretary of Thai Nguyen Provincial Standing Party Committee Nguyen Van Kim; and the Provincial Standing Party Committee Members, as well as leaders of several provincial departments and branches attended this anniversary.

Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad believed the comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos would grow closer to a new height. He affirmed that solidarity of Laos and Viet Nam had existed for a long time and would reach the higher level; the great traditional relations and particular friendly solidarity of two sides would always stay the same.

He stressed that Lao people had always been given great support by Vietnamese and Thai Nguyen ones in human resource training and investment in the socio-economic development that boosted the distinctive friendship relations of the two countries.

The cultural program to welcome the anniversary

Mr. Pham Xuan Duong in the meeting thanked Lao people for their love for Viet Nam in general and Thai Nguyen Province in particular. Thai Nguyen has had cooperative and friendship relations with some provinces of Laos in several fields in recent years. Next time, Thai Nguyen would keep propagandizing and publicizing the special cooperative and friendship tradition of both nations as well as adhere to the policies of both Parties and States.

Thousands of officers and soldiers from Thai Nguyen took part in working and fighting with Lao peoples for the two resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists. The large number of Lao revolutionary cadres worked and studied in Thai Nguyen where they received a lot of help from locals during the 1960s and 1970s. Universities, colleges and schools in Thai Nguyen have been training many generations of Lao officials including Central and local leaders. There are more than 200 Lao students to study in Thai Nguyen at the moment. Some provincial enterprises have been investing in infrastructure construction, production development and services in Laos and thousands of Thai Nguyen people have been working and living in Laos.

On this occasion, Thai Nguyen Provincial Viet Nam – Laos Friendship Association cited and rewarded 50 typical delegates during the construction and growth of the special unity and traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Laos.