Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (left) meets Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE — General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on August 27 hosted separate receptions for Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang, who is on a working visit to the neighbouring country.

The Lao leaders spoke highly of the achievements that Việt Nam has obtained in recent times and affirmed that the visit will make an important contribution to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and people of the two countries.

They said that they were delighted to see that the cooperation between the police forces of Laos and Việt Nam has reaped many positive results, especially in the fight against all types of crimes, and personnel training. The hosts hoped that in the coming time, the forces will continue to promote collaboration in the fight against transnational crimes, drugs, human trafficking and high-tech crimes for the benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to fostering bilateral ties and maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Informing the hosts about the outcome of cooperation between the public security ministries of Việt Nam and Laos over the past time, Quang said that in the first eight months of this year, the ministries jointly organised a conference on the implementation of a project on building a citizen identification and management system in Laos and a ceremony to kick off construction of a drug rehabilitation centre in Vientiane province. They also coordinated in adopting measures to ensure security and safety for activities during the ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 of Laos; regularly exchanged information, shared experience and joined hands in crime prevention and control.

The ministries are determined and persistent in building a peaceful, stable and developing Việt Nam-Laos border, not to allow hostile and reactionary forces to take advantage of the territory of one country to sabotage the other and cause division in the relationship between the two countries and to cooperate closely in preventing and combating “peaceful evolution” and preventing and combating transnational crimes, he said.

Earlier, during talks between Quang and his Lao counterpart Vilay Lakhamphong, the two sides agreed that the security forces of the two countries have actively effectively cooperated in protecting political security, preventing sabotage and activities that violate national security by hostile and reactionary forces; regularly exchanged information on the international and regional terrorism situation that may affect the national security of the two countries, and coordinated to ensure border security.

The two ministries have cooperated to successfully organise the 14th Việt Nam-Laos Security Cooperation Conference, thereby contributing to proactively preventing the activities of hostile forces aiming to divide Việt Nam-Laos relations and cause insecurity and disorder in each country.

Regarding cooperation in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue to effectively implement signed documents, intensity the exchange of information and situation related to national security of the two countries; and proactively coordinate to fight against plots and plans of hostile forces, reactionaries and terrorists that threaten the national security of Việt Nam and Laos.

The two sides will collaborate to ensure security and safety of ASEAN 2024 conferences in Laos and important political events of the two countries as well as security and order on the shared border. They will strengthen cooperation in combating organized crime, transnational crime, especially drug crime, human trafficking and smuggling.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security presented its Lao counterpart equipment to ensure security and safety for international events during Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024. — VNS