Quang Ninh, Lao northern provinces look to expand cooperation

Quang Ninh (VNA) - A talk discussing measures to promote comprehensive cooperation between the northern province of Quang Ninh and Luang Prabang, Huouphan and Xaynhabuly provinces of Laos was held in Ha Long city on June 3.

Addressing the event, Secretary of the provincial Quang Ninh Party Committee Nguyen Van Doc said local authorities organised seven delegations to visit Luang Prabang, Huouphan and Xaynhabuly, and received 16 delegations from these provinces to visit Quang Ninh from 2011-2019.

As many as 56 billion VND (2.39 million USD) sourcing from Quang Ninh province’s budget were spent on supporting the Laos provinces in building public works and schools.

Notably, last year, a school built at a cost of 16 billion VND funded by Quang Ninh was inaugurated in Luang Prabang province.

Total budget for educating and training Lao students in Quang Ninh from 2017-2019 was over 23.5 billion VND. At present, 204 Lao students are studying in Quang Ninh.

Thanks to their tourism advantages, Quang Ninh and Luang Prabang have closely cooperated in tourism in the framework of multilateral and bilateral cooperation activities, contributing to enhancing tourism and culture exchange between the two provinces.

Meanwhile, cooperation between police forces of Quang Ninh and Saynhabuly, and youth unions of Quang Ninh and the three Lao provinces have been strengthened.

Other agencies of Quang Ninh and Luang Prabang, Huouphan and Xaynhabuly provinces such as fatherland fronts, people’s procuracies, people’s courts have also held exchange activities and shared experience in diferent fields.

Khamkhanh Chanthavisouk, Secretary of the Luang Prabang Party Committee and Governor of the Lao province, stressed that Quang Ninh and the Laos provinces will continue to maintain high-ranking delegations and expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, health, science-technology, tourism, and training and human resources.

Deputy Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Nguyen Huy Tang affirmed the talk was to concretise agreements between the two Parties and States as well as the efforts of the provinces to bolster comprehensive cooperation.

He suggested the provinces increase the exchange of high-ranking delegations, thereby strengthening friendship, and sharing information and experience between the provinces.-VNA