Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith praised the effective cooperation between the front organisations of Vietnam and Laos, which he said contributes to enhancing the two countries’ traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith (R) receives President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man

He made the remarks at a reception for President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man in Vientiane on August 10.

The Lao leader underlined the fact that the working visit to Laos by the VFF President from August 10-13 took place on the occasion of the 55th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties and 40 years of signing the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation. He said it provides an opportunity to educate young generations about the two nations’ close relations.

Man briefed the outcomes of his working session with Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Saysomphone Phomvihane.

He said the two sides agreed to increase coordination to implement their joint plans in 2017-2020.

The official proposed that the Lao Party chief and President further support the overseas Vietnamese to be granted Lao citizenship and long-term resident permission.

He also asked the Lao side to simplify procedures on marriage, business, labour and application for resident alien status for overseas Vietnamese.

The VFF President called on the two countries to speed up transport connectivity and increase investment in infrastructure at their border gates, while continuing to cooperate in the search for and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos in the wartime.

Vietnamese, Lao fronts discuss enhancing ties

VFF President Tran Thanh Man 

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man and Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Saysomphone Phomvihane discussed strengthening bilateral ties during a reception in Vientiane on August 10. 

Man, who is in a working visit to Laos from August 10-13, expressed his delight at visiting Laos on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and the 40th anniversary of the signing of Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. 

He asked the two fronts to jointly launch a plan on implementing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation Programme among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian fronts and a joint communiqué between VFF and LFNC Central Committees about the outcomes of the international conference on building Vietnam-Laos borderline of peace, friendship, comprehensive cooperation for mutual development for 2017-2020. 

Man urged the host to suggest the Lao Party and State make it easier for Vietnamese nationals to acquire Lao citizenship, simplify procedures regarding marriage, business and labour. 

The Vietnamese official hoped that the two countries would step up transport connectivity, enhance infrastructure investment in border areas, and actively partner in the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during the war.

Phomvihane, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese Party, State, Front and people for their valuable and timely support for Laos during the war as well as the current construction and development. 

He agreed with the guest’s proposal to further boost bilateral exchanges and conveyed his sympathy to Vietnamese victims in the recent floods.

Vietnam, Laos hold friendly exchange in Japan

The embassies of Vietnam and Laos in Japan held a people-to-people exchange programme in Tokyo on August 10 to mark the 55th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and 40 years since the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation was signed.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong highlighted the close friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

In Japan, the bilateral tie were illustrated through close coordination between the two embassies, he said, hoping the relations will continue to grow stronger through effective cooperation between their representative offices.

Lao Ambassador Viroth Sundara said the exchange helped strengthen the two nations’ friendship.

Various activities were held during the event, including traditional art and cultural performances and table tennis competitions.

VNA