Top officials of Ho Chi Minh City met Lao Consul General Southideth Phommalat in the city on November 27 on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of Lao National Day (December 2). 

Permanent Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Vo Van Thuong expressed hope that the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos will come a long way. 

The Lao Consul General noted with satisfaction that the bilateral ties have been growing across diverse areas, ranging from politics, socio-economics, science-technology, national defence-security to diplomacy. 

The same day, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations partnered with the municipal chapter of the Vietnam – Laos Friendship Association to host a ceremony celebrating the anniversary. 

Vietnamese and Lao delegates pledged to strengthen the coordination between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities in the coming time. 

As the second biggest investor in Laos, Vietnam has so far registered 413 projects worth over 5 billion USD in the country, with 40 ones valued at around 400 million USD sourced from Ho Chi Minh City.-VNA