HCMC strengthens cooperation with Laos’ Champasak Province

This is the third meeting between HCMC Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen and the high-ranking delegation from Ho Chi Minh City and Lao sides during the working visit to Laos from May 25 to 29.

Previously, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen held talks with Mr. Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Council of Vientiane Capital. He also had a meeting with Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Governor of Savannakhet Province Santiphap Phomvihane.

At the meeting with  Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Governor of Champasak Province Vilayvong Bouddakham, Secretary Nguyen Van Nen expressed his gratitude to Laos and Champasak Province for supporting Vietnam, as well as Ho Chi Minh City in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.

He said that the visit and work of the high-ranking delegation of HCMC in response to the ‘Year of Friendship and Solidarity between Vietnam - Laos 2022’ to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. This is also an opportunity to continue affirming the special friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries as well as exchange of experiences and orientation of cooperation between Vietnam's southern metropolis and Champasak Province.

The Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee emphasized that the Party Committee, government and city dwellers always respectfully remember and deeply appreciate the great sacrifices, goodwill, impartiality, and pure assistance of leaders and Laotians through generations, including Champasak Province, in the war of national liberation as well as the country’s building process. He thanked Laos as well as Champasak Province for supporting HCMC during the Covid-19 epidemic last year.

Mr. Nen highly appreciated Champasak Province which has established cooperation with 16 provinces and 3 cities of Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City. The province has good policies to attract investors and businesses, including many Vietnamese businesses in the fields of coffee, rubber, beef cattle, dairy cows, and freshwater fish with a total capital of about US$360 million.

Mr. Nen affirmed that the cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Champasak province has been established since 2001. The two localities have successfully implemented the contents in the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between 2016 to 2020.

In the MoU, Ho Chi Minh City supports planning Paksong town providing teaching equipment for Champasak Friendship Primary School in addition to organizing many cultural and sports exchange events in Champasak Province.

With the tradition and long history of the friendship relationship as well as the development potential of the two localities, Mr. Nen expressed that Ho Chi Minh City and Champasak Province should continue to strengthen cooperation in the fields including exchange of delegations in the coming time and promotion of cooperation in trade and investment so that the two localities can fulfill their socio-economic development targets and tasks in 2022.

Mr. Nen expressed his agreement with the proposal of Governor of Champasak Province Vilayvong Bouddakham raised at the meeting. At the same time, the two localities signed a Memorandum of Understanding from 2022 through 2025 so that the two localities can continue to cooperate and promote development in the coming time.

Regarding the proposals of the Governor of Champasak Province, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen emphasized that it is necessary to organize and promote investment, trade, and tourism, and to organize exhibitions and fairs between the two localities in the coming time.

Moreover, the exchange of delegations should be associated with emulation and commendation activities. The specific projects proposed by the Governor of Champasak Province will be furthered by agencies in the two localities.

The HCMC Party Secretary emphasized that human resource training is the focus and key to training people and training cadres. Upon Champasak Province’s proposal of more scholarships for Laotian students, Principal of Hoa Sen University Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy committed that in addition to 40 scholarships awarded to Laos, the school will award 10 more scholarships including five scholarships for masters for students of Champasak Province.

Mr. Nen believed that the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam - Laos including the friendship and cooperation relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Champasak Province will forever be eternal.

On this occasion, Ho Chi Minh City presented Champasak Province with 10 sets of online meeting equipment and Saigontourist Company awarded five scholarships worth VND 1.5 billion for good students in the province.

Prior, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Champasak Province Vilayvong Bouddakham had a meeting with Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen and the high-ranking delegation of Ho Chi Minh City at the ceremony room.

After the meeting, the high-ranking delegation visited Champasak Provincial Friendship Primary School. Next, the delegation visited and talked with officials and employees of the Consulate General of Vietnam in Pakse (Champasak) and the Vietnamese Association in Champasak.