Laos wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam, especially in developing remote areas to quickly reduce poverty, contributing to lifting the two countries’ relations to a new height.

Party General Secretary and President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone made the statement at a reception for Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of the Vietnam – Laos Cooperation Sub-committee in Vientiane on Jan. 9.

Phuc, who is in Laos to attend the 34 th session of the Vietnam – Laos Joint Intergovernmental Committee on economic, cultural, education, scientific and technological cooperation, informed the host of the session’s outcome.

He said the session had mapped out detailed cooperative programmes to promote the special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The Deputy PM promised to do his utmost to contribute to the two nations’ achievements.

The both sides expect to increase the two-way trade to 1 billion USD this year and to 2 billion USD by 2015./.