Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Đinh Tiến Dũng and Vientiane Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone had talks on Wednesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Đinh Tiến Dũng has urged the administration of Lao capital Vientiane to continue to realise cooperation agreements with Hà Nội, stressing that Hà Nội-Vientiane relations should be a model for other localities of both nations to follow.

At a reception for Vientiane Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone on Wednesday, Dũng said that Việt Nam and Hà Nội particular will provide support for Laos to fulfill its role as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chair 2024 and assist it in organising the Tourism Year 2024.

Dũng briefed the guest on its socio-economic development, saying Hà Nội recorded a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of 6.49 per cent in the third quarter of this year. This month, the city plans to submit to the National Assembly a draft amended Capital Law which is expected to increase the capital’s self-governance in economic and social management, thereby creating a new development impetus, he went on.

Dũng expressed his delight at the recent socio-economic growth that Vientiane has obtained, believing that with such impressive achievements, it will play an increasingly important role in maintaining Lao’s economic growth.

For his part, Athsaphangthong expressed his impressions at the strong development of Hà Nội in recent times.

Sharing about the development situation of Vientiane, he said that the city's economy achieved an average growth of 4.3 per cent, with an income per capita of more than US$5,500 per year. In the first nine months of 2023, Vientiane completed its budget revenue target and it is striving to surpass this year’s target by about 20 per cent.

Athsaphangthong said that these achievements are a solid foundation for the city to focus on developing business sectors, strengthening state-owned enterprises and improving urban management and infrastructure, towards the hosting of numerous important events next year. — VNS