Mayor Sinlavong Khutphaythun receives Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan. (Photo: SGGP)
The confirmation was made during Secretary Nhan’s visit to Laos from January 22
nd-26
th which aims to reinforce the friendly and cooperative relations between Ho Chi Minh city and Laos.
During the talks, Mayor Sinlavong Khutphaythun asserted that Ho Chi Minh city and Vientiane had set up a special relationship, and the visit by the Vietnamese city’s delegation would further increase the relationship between Laos and Vietnam in general and between Vientiane and Ho Chi Minh city in particular.
Expressing his thanks to Ho Chi Minh city for its assistance to Vientiane, especially the project on improving the quality of cows which he said is an important project for Vientiane and would be expanded in other Lao localities, Mayor Sinlavong Khutphaythun added he hoped Ho Chi Minh city would continue to support Vientiane in education, infrastructure and State management.
Secretary Nhan reviewed the friendly, united and cooperative relations between Vietnam and Laos which had been fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Cayson Phomvihan, as well as the two countries’ generations of leaders.
“The year 2017 marked a historic milestone in the relationship between Vietnam and Laos when the two Parties, Governments and peoples organized a wide range of activities celebrating the 55th anniversary of Vietnam - Laos diplomatic relationship and the 40th year since the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation,” said Secretary Nhan.
Mentioning Ho Chi Minh’s favourable conditions for boosting socio-economic development, especially its special mechanism recently adopted by the Vietnamese National Assembly which increases local control by the city, Secretary Nhan went on to say that the city would do its utmost to deepen relations with Vientiane. “Recently, Ho Chi Minh city has supported Vientiane in different programs, including those in taxation and finance, the training of tourism students, and improvement of the quality of cows,” he said.
He also urged Mayor Sinlavong Khutphaythun to direct Vientiane agencies to work closely with Ho Chi Minh city to carry out signed cooperation deals.
After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding setting up cooperation, including in investment and trade, economics, training of human resources, culture, tourism and hi-tech agricultural production, between Ho Chi Minh city’s district 5 and Vientiane’s Sikhottabong district./.