Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Tân Cương and Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakai Sone review the honour guards of the Việt Nam People's Army. VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese and Lao defence ministries will work to comprehensively implement their cooperation plan in 2022, as agreed by their deputy ministers on Thursday.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Tân Cương, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People's Army, and Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army, reached the consensus during their talks in Hà Nội as part of the Lao officer’s visit to Việt Nam from June 1 to 4.

Cương stressed that Outhakaysone’s visit, which takes place in the Việt Nam-Laos, Laos-Việt Nam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022, will be a driving force for cooperation between the two armies, contributing to consolidating and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive collaboration between the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

For his part, Outhakaysone said Laos always highly values the time-honoured friendship and comprehensive cooperation and expressed his belief that it will help to fight challenges and plots that aim to undermine the bilateral relationship.

They shared the view that defence cooperation remains a pillar in the Việt Nam-Laos relationship, with regular meetings and visits, and the effective implementation of collaboration mechanisms.

The two sides spoke of the first Việt Nam-Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange last December, along with partnerships between military zones and border guards.

Joint efforts have been made in the combat against cross-border crimes, contributing to building a shared borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, they said.

Mutual support of medical equipment in the COVID-19 fight has demonstrated the solidarity between the two armies.

Regarding cooperation orientations, the two sides agreed to step up information sharing between their border guards, conduct more joint patrols and continue to coordinate in the fight against crimes and illegal migration and ensure security and safety in border areas.

They will also pay more attention to cooperation in personnel training and the information work.

Cương invited Lao officers to attend the first international defence exhibition in Việt Nam, the ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting and the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet in the time ahead.

Following the talks, Outhakaysone paid a courtesy visit to Defence Minister General Phan Văn Giang, who said the bilateral defence cooperation has been deepened across spheres.

The Vietnamese defence ministry hopes for stronger multi-faceted cooperation between the two sides, the General noted.  

The special relationship between Việt Nam and Laos has always been respected, preserved and strengthened by senior leaders of the two countries, Giang said. The Party, State, Government, Army and people of Việt Nam always remember the support and assistance of the Government, Army and people of Laos in the previous fights for independence and reunification.

On the basis of the protocol for the 2022-24 period and the annual cooperation plan, Giang said their bilateral defence cooperation has become more in-depth, practical and effective in all fields, including Party work, political work, training and coaching personnel, and mutual assistance.

The General expressed his hope that the two countries will step up the training of their armies' officers and soldiers about the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

Outhakaysone told his host that the General Staff of the Lao People's Army has made efforts to contribute to preserving and promoting the special relations between the two countries and armies. VNS