Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone have promised to do their best to continue promoting bilateral co-operation.— VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone have promised to do their best to continue promoting bilateral co-operation.
During their talks in Vientiane yesterday as part of the Vietnamese leader’s working visit to Laos on June 24 and 25, the two sides reached agreements to strengthen ties in security, defence and trade.
They agreed to continue exchanging visits and focus on sharing information and experience, and to prepare for the Party congress in each country in 2021.

The two sides will continue to implement the security-defence agreement on dealing with free migration and undocumented marriage along the shared border, and accelerate the signing of agreements on justice.
They discussed measures to expand economic, trade and investment co-operation, focusing on ways to remove barriers for Vietnamese firms operating in Laos.
In the first five months of 2019, bilateral trade hit nearly US$493 million, up 13.4 per cent year on year. Việt Nam remains the third largest investor in Laos with 410 projects worth $4.22 billion and Vietnamese companies have contributed to the development of the neighbouring country.
Deputy PM Dũng suggested the Lao side create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to seek investment opportunities in Laos, especially in projects in border areas, and organise the second business dialogue conference between the Lao PM and Vietnamese firms, which was delayed in December last year.
Lao Deputy PM Sonexay Siphandone stressed the need to expand and diversify trade promotion activities and sign an agreement on developing border trade infrastructure before the end of the year.
The Lao government values Vietnamese firms' projects in Laos, he said, especially in hydroelectricity, mining and infrastructure.
The two sides agreed to work together on education and developing human resources.

After their talks, the Vietnamese and Lao leaders witnessed the signing of a power purchase agreement between the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and Phongsubthavy Group Co., Ltd of Laos.
Later the same day, Deputy PM Dũng met Lao National Assembly Vice Chairman Somphanh Phengkhammy to discuss the project to build the new National Assembly House of Laos, which is a gift from the Party, State and people of Việt Nam. —VNS