Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu. (Photo: VNA) Talking to the press on the occasion of a conference to raise knowledge about policies and laws related tothe Vietnam-Laos border on December 6 in the central province of Nghe An, the Deputy FM underlined that residents in border areas of bothcountries have made significant contributions to border management
While carrying out daily activities, border residents monitor the localsituation and inform relevant forces, helping maintain good management of theborder and timely stop law violations.
Vu highlighted the close ties between border localities ofVietnam and Laos. More than 100 clusters of villages in both countries haveestablished twin relations, which enables them to not only promote thefriendship and exchange across the border but also keep good monitoring of theborder line and security and social order.
In the time ahead, the first and foremost task is to continuewith dissemination work to raise people’s awareness about the importance ofborder management for socio-economic development and defence-security, thedeputy minister said.
He also stressed the need to strengthen coordination between relevant forcesand residents, as well as between residents on the two sides of the borderline, in border management and the protection of border markers.
Another important task is to promote trade exchange across the border, investin upgrading border gates and infrastructure to facilitate production, businessactivities and goods exchange in border areas of both countries, thus contributingto not only boosting socio-economic development in each country but alsostrengthening the friendship and solidarity between the two countries, accordingto deputy minister Vu.
Hestressed the importance of the conference on disseminating laws and policies onthe border among outstanding village chiefs in 20 border provinces of Vietnamand Laos, saying that it will help the village chiefs and through themvillagers to do better in protecting the border line and border markers.
The official also said the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le MinhKhai and Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith along with manyhigh-ranking officials at the conference reflects the recognition of thecontribution of border residents in general and village chiefs in particular toborder management work./.
VNA
