Ambassador lauds Vietnam-Laos ties ahead of Deputy PM’s trip

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung lauded growing Vietnam – Laos ties during an interview granted to the media on December 14 on the occasion of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh’s working trip to Laos from December 16 to 19.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung. (Photo: VOV)
Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung. (Photo: VOV)

During the trip, the Deputy PM will attend the fourth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC), pay an official visit to Laos, and co-chair the fifth ministerial-level political consultation between the two countries.

Hung said via high-level visits and exchanges, leaders of the two Parties and States have reached important and strategic agreements to shape orientations for bilateral ties in the long-term while friendly collaboration between ministries, departments and agencies at the central and local levels has brought about practical results.

Further attention has been paid to raising public awareness, especially young generations, of the significance of bilateral relationship. In economic terms, Vietnam remains one of the biggest investors and major trade partners of Laos. In education, the two countries launched the project on improving the quality and efficiency of Vietnam-Laos coordination in education and human resources development for the 2011-2020 period.

Bilateral national defence-security links have been strengthened, while the fraternal solidarity has been also reflected at regional and global forums, such as the United Nations, ASEAN and sub-regional cooperation.

About the significance of the Deputy PM Minh’s attendance at the fourth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on MLC from December 16 to 17 with the participation of six coastal countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and China, Hung said it manifests Vietnam’s appreciation for MLC mechanism, affirms Vietnam’s role in Mekong sub-regional cooperation and the country’s promotion of contents matching her interests.

At the invitation of Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy PM and FM Minh will pay an official visit to Laos and co-chair the fifth ministerial-level political consultation from December 18 to 19.