The aforementioned direction, viewpoints, and policies have been reaffirmed and strongly emphasized by Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung – Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee of Nghe An during his visit to the Lao provinces of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang to extend the Bunpimay new year’s greetings in early April 2023.
Being close neighbors and leaning against the mighty Truong Son mountain range, Vietnam and Laos have established a diplomatic relationship and supported each other throughout their long history of nation-building and protection. In particular, after the establishment of the Indochinese Communist Party, President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane directly laid the foundation, and the successive generations of leaders of both parties, states and people of the two countries have continuously nurtured the traditional relationship between the Vietnamese and Lao people so that it has kept blossoming and yielding fruits. It has become a miraculous force that has brought many great victories in their struggle for national liberation, building and protecting the country, as well as moving towards socialism.
Nghe An is the largest province in Vietnam in terms of natural area, having the longest border with Laos, which stretches over 468km across 6 districts and 27 communes of 3 provinces: Xiengkhouang, Houaphanh, and Bolikhamsai. The natural geography, history and culture of Nghe An’s border area have many similarities with the three adjacent provinces. The residents here live in harmony and solidarity, growing up together by working on the same fields, drinking from the same streams, walking on the same roads, and listening to the same rooster crow in the morning. They have long-standing kinship relationships and regularly visit each other, exchange cultural and economic experiences.
Implementing the Party and State’s policy and direction of enhancing cooperation with Laos, over the years, the friendly and cooperative relationship between Nghe An and Lao provinces has been increasingly strengthened and expanded. During the recent visit and working trip in Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang, the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Trung expressed his delight at each province’s achievements in their development and affirmed that the Provincial Party Committee, authorities and people of Nghe An province have identified the enhancement and promotion of comprehensive cooperation with localities in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic as one of the highly important political tasks that are always given top priority. In addition to the three provinces sharing the border line including Xiengkhouang, Houaphanh, and Bolikhamsai, Nghe An has also expanded cooperation in many fields with provinces such as Vientiane, Khammouane, Savannakhet, and Xaysomboun.
Bearing in mind the teachings of our beloved Uncle Ho that “Helping friends is helping ourselves”, together with with a selfless and pure international spirit, during the resistance war against the common enemy as well as in the integration and opening period, despite countless difficulties, Nghe An has offered the best affection to the provinces of Laos. Besides regularly maintaining contact and exchanging experiences at all levels, the effective cooperation is affirmed by specific tasks and projects marking the loyal and warmest affection of Nghe An’s people in Laos, such as: Phonsavan High School Buildings, Xiengkhouang’s provincial cultural center and hospital, Houaphanh’s schools and community cultural center, Khamkeut district’s High School for ethnic minorities, and the military medical station in Xaychamphone district, Bolikhamsai province.
Every year, the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh has spent billions of Vietnamese dong to support the training of cadre sources for the Laotian provinces in the fields of military, national defense, education, security and order, healthcare, etc. Specifically, from 2017 until now, there have been more than 1,200 Laotian cadres and students learning and studying at universities and colleges in Nghe An. Many Laotian students have been considered children by the local families in Nghe An. At the same time, many cadres and students from Nghe An have also been trained for short and long-term periods at universities and colleges in Laos.
The leaders of Nghe An province and the two provinces of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang are delighted that in recent times, joint activities to patrol and protect national border markers, build the peaceful and friendly border, fight and eradicate crimes, and the “village-to-village twinning” movement along the border have been regularly maintained. Nghe An has closely coordinated and received enthusiastic support from the localities of Laos in the search, excavation, collection and repatriation of more than 13,000 sets of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who sacrificed themselves in Laos.
Not only do Nghe An and Laotian provinces have good political relationship, but their economic, trade, and investment cooperation is also thriving. Nghệ An and Laotian provinces are becoming potential economic partners. During the 2018-2022 period, the total import-export turnover between Nghe An and Laos reached over USD 140 million.
With the moral principles that highly value gratefulness and affection, Vietnam in general and Nghe An province in particular will never forget the precious and great sharing, support and assistance of Laotian generations of leaders, cadres, soldiers and people. During his working trip in Laos, Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung – the Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee visited the Vieng Xay Revolutionary Base, which is considered the resistance capital of Laos, the Plain of Jars in Xiengkhouang, and laid wreaths at the Lao-Vietnamese Combat Alliance Memorial and the Vietnamese-Lao Martyrs Memorial, expressing gratitude and unwavering loyalty. The Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee also visited the families of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang’s leaders without ceremonial protocols. Instead, the memories were recalled and the atmosphere was warm like family reunions.
Contributing to the strong development and impressive cooperation achievements between Nghe An and the provinces of Laos in recent years, overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese businesses in Laos are indispensable. They work hard, unite, love and support each other and always aiming towards their homeland. As a successful entrepreneur in Houaphanh province (Laos), Mr. Le Van Hung said that he often returns to Vietnam and is excited to witness the rapid changes in his homeland. He also stated that he will continue to contribute to the increasingly strong relationship between the two countries. Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Trung hopes that the Vietnamese community in Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang will continue to unite and support each other in business as well as in daily life, actively contributing to their homeland and the host country, and constantly joining hands to preserve and nurture the special relationship – the priceless asset of the two nations.
Visiting the project of the Friendship Hospital in Xiengkhouang province with 200 beds and modern equipment, Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Trung emphasized that this project is of great significance, a special gift from the Party, State and people of Vietnam to the people of Xiengkhouang province. When completed and put into operation, the hospital will meet the healthcare needs of the people of Xiengkhouang province. Therefore, the Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee requested the Project Management Board to complete the remaining tasks of the project as soon as possible, striving to inaugurate the hospital on the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday in May 2023.
Nghe An Province committed to sending a delegation of cadres to guide the and train the staff so that they can proficiently use medical equipment and operate the hospital smoothly; at the same time, continuing to train staff for Xiengkhouang province in Nghe An when needed.
At the conference between Nghe An and the provinces of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang, the provincial leaders agreed that the cooperation between the localities in various fields has been active and contributed to building increasingly strong and effective bilateral relationships. In terms of cooperation direction in the coming future, Nghe An and the provinces of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang have agreed to make efforts to effectively implement the cooperation agreement for the 2023-2025 period, to continue strengthening exchanges at all levels and channels to constantly consolidate the particularly reliable and close political relationship, to cooperate in investment, production and business; to develop border gates, transport infrastructure, culture, sports, health, information, education, training and territory-border work; to address free migration and unregistered marriage in border areas, and to foster cross-border twinning.
The leaders of Houaphanh and Xiengkhouang provinces expressed their gratitude for the great and timely assistance of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam in general, and the Party, authorities, and people of Nghe An province in particular during the past time, which vividly demonstrates the rare and special relationship between the countries in the present age. At the same time, they affirmed that although there are still many difficulties, they promise to stand shoulder to shoulder with Vietnam and its people in general and Nghe An province’s people in particular to jointly contribute to the comprehensive development of the two countries in all fields, thereby promoting our special relationship to become increasingly solid and fruitful.
Currently, the global and regional context are experiencing profound and complex changes. More than ever, we must deeply understand the task of inheriting and further developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. This is a cause, a relationship that is eternal, a law of survival and a factor that ensures the victory of the revolutionary cause of each Party and each country in the new period. The Party, authorities, and people of Nghe An province are determined to make every effort, together with the provinces and people of Laos, to protect, preserve and develop this sacred and invaluable relationship.
| Content by Pham Bang
| Photos by Reporter and Documentary Photos
| Designed by Huu Quan
