The inauguration ceremony for the Laos Border Guard Command in Vientiane. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Việt Nam and Laos are strengthening defence cooperation, marked by the inauguration and handover of the headquarters of the Lao Border Guard Command at a ceremony held in Vientiane on Thursday.

Addressing the event, General Nguyễn Tân Cương, Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, expressed his confidence that the new headquarters will improve working conditions for Lao border guard officers and soldiers.

He noted that the project will support the command in advising the Ministries of National Defence and General Staffs of both countries on safeguarding security, order and safety along the shared border.

The Ministries of National Defence and General Staffs of Việt Nam and Laos will continue to facilitate closer cooperation between their border guard forces, helping to build a Việt Nam–Laos border of peace, friendship, stability and sustainable development, he said.

On the occasion of traditional Bunpimay Festival of Laos, Cương extended his best wishes to Lao border guard officers and soldiers, expressing his hope that they will continue contributing to more effective coordination between the two sides, thereby building the shared border of friendship and sustainable development.

For his part, Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, expressed sincere thanks to the Party, State and Ministry of National Defence of Việt Nam for their continued support in infrastructure development, helping to enhance the operational capacity of the Lao army, particularly its border guard force. He urged the Lao Border Guard Command to manage and effectively utilise the facility in fulfilling its assigned tasks.

Later the same day, Cương visited Star Telecom (Unitel), a joint venture of Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group in Laos. He highlighted the importance of linking economic cooperation with defence, security and foreign affairs in the context of deepening international integration, noting that such efforts contribute to strengthening the bilateral ties.

He commended Unitel’s comprehensive achievements and thanked the Lao Ministry of National Defence and General Staff for facilitating Vietnamese enterprises’ operations, thereby contributing to the relationship between the two countries and their militaries.

Looking ahead, Cương called on Unitel to maintain internal unity, enhance human resource quality and continue investing in technological innovation to sustain its market leadership, aiming to become a leading telecommunications and digital services provider in Laos. He also urged the company to expand social welfare programmes and promote Vietnamese corporate values in the host country.

After more than 16 years of development, Unitel has become Laos’s leading telecom operator, with extensive infrastructure reaching remote and border areas, contributing to socio-economic development and improving living standards. The company has also played a key role in ensuring communications in border regions, supporting defence and security tasks and the development of national digital infrastructure. — VNA/VNS