Hanoi, Vientiane promote cooperation in investment, trade, tourism

At the conference (Photo: Ha Noi Moi)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese and Lao authorities and businesses exchanged information about investment policies in Hanoi and Vientiane, and sought cooperation opportunities at an investment, trade and tourism conference on August 10.

The Hanoi event saw the participation of Dinh Tien Dung, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, and Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane.

Nguyen Manh Quyen, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, said relations between Hanoi and Vientiane and other localities in Laos have been promoted across all channels, with effective projects in economy, healthcare, education, agriculture, military and people-to-people exchanges.

In the first half of this year, Hanoi exported 74.8 million USD worth of goods to Laos, making up 0.9% of the city’s total export value, while importing 98.3 million USD worth of goods from the neighbouring country, or 0.48% of Hanoi’s accumulative import revenue.

Noting the all-round cooperation between Hanoi and Vientiane, the official said the two capital cities have supported each other in COVID-19 prevention and control in both cash and kind.

The conference also offered an opportunity for participants to establish strategic partnerships in investment, trade and tourism in the “new normal”.

According to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, Hanoi has funded a number of projects in Lao localities, including the Vientiane-Hanoi friendship vocational training school worth 14.8 billion VND (632,748 USD).

Within the framework of the conference, there was an exhibition displaying photos on famous destinations in the two countries and the cooperation between the two countries and cities, along with products from craft villages in Hanoi and Vientiane.

Three memoranda of understanding between Vientiane and Hanoi enterprises were exchanged on the occasion./.