Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (centre, blue cravat) and Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong attend the closing ceremony of the Việt Nam-Laos Joint Committee on the Border Marker Planting Project yesterday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Hà NộI (VNS) — A State ceremony to mark the completion of the border marker planting project along the Việt Nam-Laos border was held in the capital city yesterday with the presence of Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and Thongsing Thammavong, prime ministers of Việt Nam and Laos.

As of now, 1002 marker posts have been planted along the 2,340 km border between the two countries.

“Before the project was launched (in 2008), there were only 199 marker posts planted,” Hồ Xuân Sơn, deputy minister of foreign affairs and chairman of the Việt Nam-Laos Joint Committee on the Border Marker Planting Project, said at the meeting. “But now that the project is complete, it will enable Vietnamese and Laos authorities to manage their borders easier and tighten their bilateral co-operation, particularly economic and commercial co-operation and tourism for provinces along the border,” Sơn said.

Addressing the ceremony, the two prime ministers spoke highly of the significance of the project in promoting relations between the two countries.

They said the project was a symbol of their traditional friendship – particularly the solidarity and comprehensive co-operation used to respect each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests.

They also expressed their hope that the project would contribute to strengthening the Việt Nam – Laos co-operation in many areas, particularly trade, investment, culture and tourism.

During the meeting, Phạm Bình Minh, Vietnamese deputy minister and minister of foreign affairs, and Laos’ Thoonglun Sisulith, minister of foreign affairs, signed the Protocol on the Border Line and Marker Post, and the Agreement on Management Protocol for the Land Border and Border Posts between the Viet Nam and Laos governments.

Earlier, Laos Prime Minister Thammavong was received by Prime Minister Dũng.

The two leaders spoke about the implementation of the Việt Nam – Laos Co-operation Agreement from 2011 to 2015 in their respective countries. They agreed to continue giving priority to the consolidation and development of Việt Nam – Laos relations, considering them an invaluable asset and a matter of life or death for the revolutionary cause of each nation.

During the meeting, the two leaders promised to do their best to ensure strict implementation of the co-operation plan between the two governments in 2016, the bilateral co-operation between the two nations from 2016 to 2020, and strategic co-operation in their transport sectors from 2016 to 2025.

They also agreed to do their best to raise the two countries’ bilateral import-export turnover to US$3 billion by 2020.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng voiced Việt Nam’s strong co-operation and co-ordination with Laos in its capacity as ASEAN Chairman in 2016.

President Sang receives Laos PM

President Trương Tấn Sang (right)  receives Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in Hà Nội.— VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

The same day, President Trương Tấn Sang received Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in Hà Nội.

Sang expressed his hope that all important political documents adopted at the 10th Laos National Party Congress would be put into action and help improve Laos’ economics and society.

In return, the Laos Prime Minister promised to do his best to help improve the livelihoods of both Vietnamese and Lao people, particularly those living along the borders. — VNS