The meeting between Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên (left) and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh in Vientiane on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

VIENTIANE — Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên paid a courtesy call to Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh in Vientiane on April 11, part of his working trip to Laos to co-chair the border trade development cooperation conference.

Diên said as the global and regional economies are facing numerous difficulties which may negatively impact the Vietnamese and Lao economies, the two countries should become more inter-connected and assist each other to jointly overcome adversities and develop.

He noted his working visit to Laos aimed to implement the cooperation activities in trade, industry, and energy agreed on by the countries’ leaders.

Apart from co-chairing the 12th Việt Nam - Laos border trade development cooperation conference, he had talks with the Lao minister of industry and trade and minister of energy and mines so as to boost bilateral relations in these fields. Diên also chaired the Việt Nam - Laos business forum to grasp enterprises’ demand for investment and business partnerships, remove bottlenecks, accelerate Vietnamese-invested power plant projects in Laos, and enhance ties in mineral mining so as to keep material supply chains uninterrupted.

The Vietnamese official reported on those events’ outcomes and proposed some orientations for bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, and mining.

Highly valuing the Vietnamese ministry’s ties with the Lao ministry of industry and trade and ministry of energy and mines, PM Viphavanh affirmed that the Lao Party, State, Government, and people always give the highest priority to enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam. He appreciated the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, and people’s cooperation with and precious support for his country throughout history.

He asked the three ministries to actively share information and experience while devising solutions to the difficulties facing the countries’ businesses in order to promote partnerships in trade, energy, and mining.

At the meeting, Diên and the ministers of the two Lao ministries affirmed their determination to step up cooperation programmes and plans under their Governments’ orientations and commitments, thereby achieving positive results in trade, energy, and mining relations in 2022, when Việt Nam and Laos mark 60 years since the establishment of their diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962) and 45 years since the signing of their friendship and cooperation treaty (July 18, 1977).

In 2021, Việt Nam– Laos trade hit US$1.37 billion , up 33.3 per cent from 2020. Việt Nam imported goods worth nearly $780 million from Laos, an annual increase of 70 per cent, according to the Vietnamese minister. — VNS