The national steering committee for the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year holds a meeting on January 24 to review its activities (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year were successful, contributing to Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements in 2017, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
He made the remark at a meeting on January 24 reviewing activities of the national steering committee for the Year.
He said Vietnam’s relations with neighbouring Laos and Cambodia were continually reinforced in all aspects last year.
During the Year, Vietnam and Laos coordinated in organising more than 170 celebratory activities and exchanging nearly 300 delegations from central to local levels. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Cambodia held nearly 70 celebratory activities and almost 100 mutual visits at all levels.
Cooperation between Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities with their Lao and Cambodian counterparts was implemented effectively in politics-security-defence, transport, training, culture, health care, and telecommunications, Minh said, noting that bilateral cooperation mechanisms have been maintained and proved effective.
He added diverse people-to-people diplomatic activities were organised. Many agencies, sectors, and organisations in Vietnam opened contests on Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia ties, sports and arts programmes, and photo exhibitions on their solidarity, friendship, and all-round connections. Media outlets of the three countries also posted a number of articles on Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations.
The Deputy PM affirmed that with diverse activities, the Year helped improve the awareness of the countries’ traditional ties among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian people, especially young generations.
He also applauded efforts and contributions by ministries, sectors, localities, and organisations to the Year.
As Laos and Cambodia are especially important to Vietnam’s security, stability and development and Vietnam’s sound relations with the two neighbours have been nurtured for generations, Vietnam must pay even greater attention to enhancing the solidarity, friendship, and sustainable cooperation with them, he stressed.
Minh asked local ministries, sectors, localities, organisations, and businesses to bring into play the outcomes of the Year to promote comprehensive cooperation with Laos and Cambodia for the sake of each country’s people.-VNA
VNA
