Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Phan Van Mai, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People'ss Council Pham Thanh Kien and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City Pham Minh Tuan met Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Chairman of the People's Council of Laos’ capital of Vientiane Anouphap Tounalom to discuss the above-mentioned issues.
Speaking at the meeting, Secretary Nguyen Van Nen said that he was delighted about Laos’ recent achievements while security and political stability are maintained with a positive economic growth rate. He believed that under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the administration of the Government, the companionship and supervision of the National Assembly, the efforts of businesses and Laotian people, Laos will successfully implement the Resolution of the 11th Party Congress and the 9th 5-year socio-economic development plan.
Secretary Nguyen Van Nen said that the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is increasingly strengthened and developed deeply in all fields. Ho Chi Minh City also highly appreciated friendly and cooperative relations with Lao localities that are constantly developing in many fields, achieving more fruitful results.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nen affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City authorities always create favorite conditions for Vietnamese and Laotian businesses in trade exchanges. Furthermore, the city also pays attention to training the young generation about the great traditional relationship between the two Parties and the people of the two countries that past generations worked together to foster. At the same time, the city also takes heed of the provision of assistance to Lao students who are studying in Ho Chi Minh City.
While sharing with the delegation some general information about the socio-economic development situation of Ho Chi Minh City in 2023, Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen said that this is not only an exchange of experiences but also a meeting between close friends.
During this working visit, the delegation of Vientiane Capital expressed their interest in the building of smart cities, digital transformation, and tourism development policies of Ho Chi Minh City which are also key issues of Ho Chi Minh City as the southern largest city recently also decided the theme of the year - digital transformation. The two countries will work to exchange experiences and develop them.
On behalf of the Party Committee and Ho Chi Minh City government, HCMC Secretary Nguyen Van Nen affirmed the city’s policies of respecting and doing its best to preserve, strengthen and develop the special relationship with the People's Republic of Lao in general and Lao localities in particular. Additionally, Mr. Nen believed that the visit of the delegation of Vientiane Capital would contribute to the great friendship and special solidarity between the two countries generally and between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane particularly.
On his part, Mr. Anouphap Tounalom thanked Ho Chi Minh City leaders for spending their valuable time welcoming the delegation saying that the business trip aimed to tighten relations between the two countries and concretize the cooperation program between the two localities.
Mr. Anouphap Tounalom said that though Vientiane Capital achieved fruitful results in social and economic development in 2023, the country is still encountering difficulties; therefore, he expected to continue receiving assistance from Ho Chi Minh City and the two cities will keep cooperating.
He emphasized that currently, the economic relations between the two countries are developing, but the export of goods is not very favorable, so it is necessary to solve the transport infrastructure to promote more trade between the two countries.
Regarding future cooperation between Vientiane Capital and HCMC, Mr. Anouphap Tounalom suggested that the southern metropolis continue to support Vientiane Capital in the beef cattle breeding cooperation project.
In addition, Vientiane Capital also hoped that Ho Chi Minh City would support the project to build a social protection center and the project to build a tourism trade center to increase the exchange of goods and trade as well as the tourism and trade promotion between the two cities.
