The transport ministries of Vietnam and Laos have affirmed close cooperation in all aspects of the transport sector at an annual bilateral ministerial meeting in Hanoi on August 22.

A view at the talk between the transport ministries of Vietnam and Laos. (Photo: mt.gov.vn).

Vietnamese Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong reviewed transport cooperation between the two countries in recent time and defined tasks in the next period.

They agreed to promote transport infrastructure connectivity between the two countries through the early signing of the Vietnam-Laos Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperative strategy in transport in the 2016-2025 period with visions towards 2030, and the opening of a transnational transport route connecting Ha Tinh (Vietnam), Khammouane (Laos) and Nakhon Phanom (Thailand) provinces.

They pledged to promptly complete the investment research of a railway project linking Vientiane–Tha Khet (Laos) and Mu Gia-Tan Ap–Vung Ang (Vietnam), while closely working in the prefeasibility study for the highway route between Vientiane–Pac San (Laos) and Thanh Thuy (Vietnam).

On behalf of the Lao Government, Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong presented the Independent Order, first class, to the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport, the Independent Order, second class, to Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and the Labour Order, first class, to Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho in honour of their contribution to the development of two countries’ transport sectors.

Vietnam, Cambodia facilitate cross-border transport

Vietnam and Cambodia reached consensus on a range of traffic matters at a ministerial-level meeting held in Hanoi on August 22.

The two sides’ representatives included Vietnamese Transport Minister Dinh La Thang and Cambodian Public Works and Transport Minister Tram Iv Tek.

They agreed to speed up the organisation of a bilateral session on traffic connectivity agreement and the amendments to a protocol implementing Vietnam-Cambodia pact on road transport.

Meanwhile, the Long Binh – Chrey Thom bridge connecting border localities of the two nations was set to become operational soon.

The two ministers also determined to coordinate the one stop shop mechanism at the Moc Bai – Ba Vet international border gate, while working with Thailand for expanding their trilateral transport links by road and by water.

Both host and guest said they would propose an around-the-clock custom procedure applied at all border gates as part of a bilateral agreement on water transport.

On the occasion, the King of Cambodia decided to grant orders to Minister Thang and his deputy Nguyen Van The for their contributions to expanding cooperation between the two ministries.

VNA