The Lao Defence Ministry held a ceremony to confer its orders on three units under the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) in Hanoi on May 14.

Attending the ceremony were Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Lieut. Gen. Douangchay Phichit and Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sunthon Saynhachac.

At the event, the Lao Deputy PM and Defence Minister presented the Development Order, first class, to the Vietnamese Defence Ministry; and the Labour Order, first class, to the Military Zone 4 High Command and the COECCO Company under the Military Zone 4’s Economic Cooperation Corp for their contributions to developing the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, armies and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

General Phung Quang Thanh said that the Labour and Development Orders are the Lao State ’s noble awards recording the Vietnamese army units’ contributions and assistance to the Lao army over the past years.

The VPA’s assistance has helped develop and beautify the special friendship and solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, he added./.