A  Việt Nam -Laos friendship exchange programme 2019 took place in Lao Bảo Town, Hướng Hóa District in the central province of Quảng Trị yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo  Thanh Thủy

QUẢNG TRỊ — A  Việt Nam -Laos friendship exchange programme 2019 took place in Lao Bảo Town, Hướng Hóa District in the central province of Quảng Trị yesterday.

The event saw the participation of representatives from the Border Guards High Command, Defence Ministry, Military Zone 4 High Command and Quảng Trị. The Lao side included representatives from the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army and the Ministry of Public Security, the military attaché from the Lao Embassy in Viet Nam, and leaders of Savannakhet and Salavan provinces.

At the event, the participants attended a landmark salute ceremony and witnessed a joint patrol at National Border Landmark 605 on the Việt Nam-Laos borderline.

A joint patrol team of the two sides including border guard forces of the Lao Bảo International Border Gate and the Military High Command of the Lao province of Savannakhet, jointly patrolled and inspected the national border markers, as well as exchanged measures to manage and protect the shared borderline.

Over the past 15 years, with the support of the two Parties and States, villages on both sides have developed trade activities and helped each other to develop economically, alleviate poverty, and build effective economic models.

Villagers have proactively participated in campaigns to ensure local security, making contributions to maintaining social order in the border areas.

Việt Nam and Laos share a borderline of 2,067 km which runs across 10 Vietnamese provinces: Điện Biên, Sơn La, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế, Quảng Nam and Kon Tum. The line also passes 10 Lao provinces: Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, Houaphan, Bolykhamsay, Khammoune, Savannakhet, Salavan, Xiengkhouang, Sepon and Attapeu. - VNA