National Assembly Vice Chairman Phùng Quốc Hiển (r) welcomes his Lao counterpart Bounpone Bouttanavong in Hà Nội yesterday. — Photo quochoi.vn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly Vice Chairman Phùng Quốc Hiển held talks with his Lao counterpart Bounpone Bouttanavong in Hà Nội yesterday.
They agreed to work closely together to organise visits by the two legislatures’ leaders and hold seminars and training courses on law building.
The two NAs will consider establishing a joint group in charge of monitoring border gates to facilitate two-way trade.
The NA committees will also oversee the implementation of signed co-operation agreements under their watch.
At the talks, both sides also informed each other of the situation of each Party and country at present, especially Party building and preparations for party congresses towards the national party congress of each nation.
Vice Chairman Hiển expressed his delight at growing bilateral economic ties with two-way trade of more than US$1 billion last year. The figure for the first half of 2019 was $575 million, up nearly 15.6 per cent. Imports from Laos rose by 3.4 per cent annually to about $229 million.
Bouttanavong, for his part, lauded Việt Nam’s achievements in the implementation of documents set at the 12th National Party Congress.
He hoped ties between the two legislatures would become more substantial in the future. — VNS