The cooperation sub-committees of Vietnam and Laos convened a mid-term
meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos, from August 6-12 to review the two
countries’ cooperation in the first six months of this year .
The session on August 12 was attended by Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy
Prime Minister and Head of the Vietnam-Laos cooperation sub-committee,
and Somsavad Lengsavath, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the
Laos-Vietnam sub-committee .
The two sides highly valued the
close cooperation between agencies and local governments at all levels,
in organising activities celebrating the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year.
They also noted the expanding cooperation in
defence-security, education and human resource training, as well as the
smooth coordination between the two countries at multi-lateral forums.
Regarding economic ties, by June this year,
Vietnamese businesses had invested in 435 projects worth 5.2 billion USD
in Laos .
Import-export turnover between the
two countries reached almost 466 million USD in the period from January
to June, an increase of 33 percent year on year. The figure is expected
to reach 1 billion USD for the entire 2012.
In the
remaining months of this year, the two sides plan to organise
negotiation teams for a new agreement on investment encouragement and
protection. The two countries will also continue to carry out
effectively the project on bilateral trade development for the
2008-2015.
At the meeting, the two Deputy Prime Ministers
witnessed the signing of the meeting’s minute, an agreement on pilot
implementation of Vietnamese Government-financed projects, and a deal on
exploring lead and zinc ores in Xieng Khouang.
As part of
his visit to Laos , Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 11
made a tour of the Luông Phabang Senior High School , which is
under construction as a gift of former Vietnamese Party General
Secretary Nong Duc Manh, to Luang Prabang province.
Work on the
school started last November and is expected to complete this December
to mark the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year 2012.
Also the same
day, Phuc visited the Royal Palace and Phanom village, which
specialises in producing traditional brocade and silver products.-VNA