Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang chaired the official welcome ceremony and held talks with his Lao counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Vanthong Kongmanyin Hanoi on March 20.
Congratulating the Lao Public Security force on the occasion of its 65th anniversary, Quang expressed his confidence that it will continue to grow stronger, achieve new accomplishments, and stand side by side with the Vietnamese side in safeguarding national security and maintaining social order and safety in each country.
He emphasised that amid increasingly complex and unpredictable global and regional developments, Vietnam and Laos need to further consolidate and nurture their special bond. In this regard, cooperation between the two ministries plays a pillar role, contributing significantly to strengthening bilateral ties.
During the talks, both sides reviewed the notable achievements in bilateral cooperation in recent years. Following the meeting between the two ministers last month in Laos, they have continued to maintain information exchange on issues of mutual concern across various fields, particularly in security and order. In crime prevention and control, functional forces have successfully solved numerous major cases and dismantled multiple transnational drug trafficking rings.
Regarding the project to build a command and control centre for the Lao Ministry of Public Security, the Vietnamese side is actively implementing tasks as planned, and closely coordinating with its Lao counterpart to ensure the project progresses on schedule and meets quality and efficiency requirements.
Concerning the project on building a resident and citizen identity management system in Laos, the ministry has actively supported its Lao counterpart in implementing planned activities, and providing guidance to ensure system security and data infrastructure safety. It has also handed over necessary equipment, helping Laos further develop its population database to serve governance, digital transformation, and socio-economic development. Relevant units from both sides are currently coordinating to finalise the timeline for system handover.
At the talks, the two ministers agreed that both ministries should continue to take the lead in implementing the shared perceptions and strategic orientations reached between Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, so as to promote bilateral economic cooperation in a more substantive and effective manner, with focus on infrastructure connectivity, removing administrative bottlenecks, ensuring absolute security and safety for the investment and business environment, and completing key projects on schedule.
They agreed to effectively implement the 2026 cooperation plan between the two ministries, along with coordination mechanisms among their functional units, to promptly detect and combat all types of crime. They will enhance cooperation at all levels in building a proactive security posture, contributing to early prevention and response to threats against national security.
Efforts will also be stepped up to combat transnational crime, actively arrest wanted fugitives hiding in each country, launch joint campaigns to prevent and suppress crime, and study new mechanisms to facilitate cooperation. At the same time, they will strengthen collaboration to enhance the capacity of law enforcement forces.
For his part, Vanthong Kongmany congratulated Vietnam on the successful organisation of the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, noting that Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security performed excellently in ensuring security and order, contributing significantly to the overall success of the election.
He stressed that in the time ahead, both ministries should continue to effectively implement agreed cooperation contents, further deepening the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohension between Vietnam and Laos in general, and the close, enduring cooperation between the two ministries in particular./.
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Against a backdrop of increasingly complex global developments, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith underscored the importance of strengthening defence and security cooperation to maintain a border of peace and friendship, promote sustainable development, and counter attempts by hostile forces to undermine the enduring solidarity between Laos and Vietnam.
