Vietnam, Laos foster defence cooperation

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien (L) meets with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath. (Photo: VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) – Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien paid a courtesy call to Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath in Vientiane on April 10.

Chien, who is accompanying President Vo Van Thuong during a visit to Laos, underlined that defence cooperation has been one of the key pillars of the Vietnam-Laos relations.

He expressed delight at the comprehensive, substantial and effective cooperation between the two Ministries of National Defence over the years, especially in Party-political affairs, personnel training, border protection, and force building. 

He also highlighted important cooperation results that the two sides have made since the beginning of this year, including the third Vietnam-Laos defence policy dialogue in Houaphanh, Laos in March, among others.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath (L) welcomes Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien. (Photo: VNA)

For his part, Chansamone Chanyalath stressed that amid the complicated developments in the world and region, the Ministries of National Defence of Vietnam and Laos should strengthen communications and education among people of the two countries, especially youngsters, on the special ties between the two countries.

He said that the two ministries will continue to effectively conduct cooperation contents in the Cooperation Plan for 2023, focusing on promoting the friendship and solidarity between the two Parties, Governments, peoples and militaries through exchanges and twinning relations.

The two sides will prepare for a series of joint events among the militaries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, including a border military friendship exchange at the ministerial level at the border area among the three countries (Kon Tum of Vietnam, Attapeu of Laos and Rattanakiri of Cambodia), as well as an annual meeting among the three Defence Ministers and sidelines activities.

On the occasion of Bunpimay – the traditional New Year festival of Laos, Chien extended best wishes to leaders, officers and soldiers of the Lao People’s Army, and conveyed the New Year wishes from Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang to Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath.

Later the same day, Chien and the Vietnamese defence delegation visited the construction of a military boarding school – a gift from the Vietnamese National Defence Ministry to the National Defence Ministry of Laos./.

VNA