Vietnamese and Lao politicians, war veterans and historians have recalled common hardship experiences during two major wars 60 years ago, when soldiers from the two neighbours shared “every grain of salt and every stalk of vegetables”.

A workshop held in Vientiane, Laos, from Sept. 11-12 heard touching stories from Vietnamese and Lao war veterans who had stood shoulder by shoulder in the wars of resistance against common French and US aggressors on the Lao soil.

Their stories have sent a common message on a special military alliance between the two countries to younger generations, emphasising that such ties have always been vital to every victory gained by each and every country in their independence wars.

Among the participants were To Huy Rua, Politburo member and Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPV CC) and Head of the CPV CC Commission for Education and Training, who led a Vietnamese delegation to the workshop, and over 50 Vietnamese war veterans with special experiences in Central Lao battlefields.

Also present were Samane Vinhakhet, Politburo member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) in charge of the Party theoretical, ideological and cultural work, and many other senior Lao officials.

Samane Vinhakhet said their stories were vivid documents that will contribute a considerable part to a collection of historic books on the Vietnam-Laos special combat alliance.

During their two-day stay in Laos, Rua and his entourage laid a wreath at the Monument to Fallen Soldiers of Laos and Vietnam, lit sticks of incense at the shrine and monument to the late President Kaysone Phomvihane of Laos and visited several Vietnam-Laos economic joint-ventures./.