Deputy Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee Trần Tiến Dũng and his Luang Prabang counterpart Soukhan Boungyong during the Lao delegation's visit to Điện Biên on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trung Kiên

ĐIỆN BIÊN — A delegation from Luang Prabang Province of Laos, led by its Deputy Secretary of Party Committee Soukhan Boungyong, had a working session with representatives of the northern province of Điện Biên on Tuesday.

The delegation wanted to learn from the Vietnamese locality’s experience in establishing new communes, and the Party organisation structure and communal administration model.

In his speech, Deputy Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee Trần Tiến Dũng highlighted the significance of the Lao delegation’s visit, saying it contributes to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two provinces; as well as nurturing the great friendship and special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries.

Briefing the Lao guests on Điện Biên’s recent restructuring of commune-level administrative units, Dũng noted that after more than a month of launching the new model, local administrations at commune and ward levels had been operating smoothly and stably, ensuring close connection with the people and providing the best possible public services.

The handling of administrative procedures for individuals, organisations, and businesses at the communal level had been relatively consistent and effective, he noted.

He also mentioned challenges during implementation, such as inadequate facilities in newly established communes and incomplete digital infrastructure under the two-tier local government model, stressing that the local authorities will allocate resources to help communes address these issues and ensure effective implementation.

For his part, Soukhan Boungyong shared brief information on Luang Prabang’s current organisational structure and staffing, and showed the delegation’s interest in learning from Điện Biên’s experience in operating the two-tier local government model and its preparations for the upcoming provincial Party Congress.

The two sides agreed to continue implementing cooperation programmes signed between the Party and the authorities of Điện Biên and Luang Prabang on December 25, 2024.

They committed to further strengthening cooperation in Party and political system building, national defence, security, and judicial affairs; accelerating procedures to upgrade the Huổi Puốc (Việt Nam) – Na Son (Laos) border gate pair to an international border gate as planned; and promoting effective coordination in tourism development.

On this occasion, the Điện Biên provincial authority extended an invitation to Luang Prabang’s art troupe to attend activities during a festival in Điện Biên slated for August 29 to 31. — VNA/VNS