Vietnam and Laos have enforced co-operations on diverse fields, from politics, legislation to economics, education and training, contributing to strengthening the special ties between the two countries Deputy Prime Minister Thonglou Sisoulit of Laos said on August 8.
On the politic sphere, high-ranking visits to either country and joint Vietnam-Laos conferences and meetings have been organized regularly to seek mutual acknowledgment between leaders of both countries, organizations and people, he said.
The two countries’ Friendship Association, Motherland Front and other groups usually hold meetings to discuss measures to boost the bilateral cooperation and they also regularly hold exchanges of visits, information and experiences in efforts to fulfill their tasks.
Bilateral economic cooperation has also been increased. Vietnam has 69 direct investment projects capitalized at nearly US$500 million in Laos, focusing on the fields of agriculture and forestry, mineral exploration and exploitation, electricity, and transport.
Meanwhile, Laos has invested in seven projects in Vietnam with a total capital of US$16.73 million, mainly in the areas of transport, posts, finance, and banking. Two-way trade between Vietnam and Laos rose from US$110 million in 2003 to US$142 million in 2004 and US$165 million last year.
The relations are not only strengthened on politics, economics, on high-level ranks, but also on other issues at lower levels and between cities and provinces.
The HCM City-Vientiane education and training, Binh Duong- Saravan economic cooperation as well as other fields between Vietnam-Laos cities and provinces have been unceasingly strengthened over the past time. Two countries agreed on fixing boundaries and missing in action (MIA) to holding diplomatic anniversaries. On the US MIA issue, they would continue to work in close co-operation to solve MIA cases on their common border through the exchange of information and joint measures.
In the future, the two sides intend to hold a public contest on Vietnam-Laos relations and a live-broadcast TV program linking Vientiane and Hanoi to boost traditional friendship between the two countries.
VNA
Vietnamese
