VIENTIANE — The Party and State will facilitate Vietnamese investment and business in Laos, President Trần Đại Quang said during a working session with Vietnamese investors in Laos yesterday.

He hailed the efforts of businesses and of the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Laos to overcome difficulties and to ensure their projects are implemented on schedule. He also asked the association and relevant ministries to co-ordinate with the Lao side to better facilitate business operations, with the focus on energy, mineral exploration, exploitation and processing, agriculture, tourism, finance and banking. And he asked businesses to take more social responsibility to reduce poverty, protect the environment, and ensure social welfare.

Việt Nam currently ranks third among countries and territories investing in Laos. As of early 2016, the country had 258 Lao investment projects, with a total registered capital of US$5.3 billion.

The State leader also met with the Secretary General of the Laos-Việt Nam Friendship Association, Saykhong Sayasin, in Laos. During that meeting he affirmed Việt Nam prioritises consolidating and strengthening Việt Nam-Laos relations. He asked the two countries’ friendship associations continue close co-ordination to better educate their people on the time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Việt Nam and Laos. The two associations should organise joint activities to mark the 55th anniversary of the Việt Nam-Laos diplomatic ties - and to mark the 40 years since the Việt Nam-Laos Friendship and Co-operation Treaty was signed in 2017, he said.

President Quang visited former Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong.

He also visited the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum and a memorial to the late President Souphanouvong. And he placed a wreath at the unknown martyrs’ monument in Vientiane. 

The President and his entourage left Vientiane for Champasak province yesterday afternoon. — VNS