Nhan expressed his hope that the former leader will continue giving his ideas and valuable experience as well as educating younger generations about the preservation and promotion of the traditional friendship and special solidarity between the two nations.
Nhan said that his visit shows HCM City’s determination to reinforce and develop special ties with Lao localities, especially its twined province of Champasak.
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Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (left) presents gifts to former General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and former President of Laos Khamtay Siphandone. |
For his part, Khamtay Siphandone stressed that the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos is the only of its kind in the world, expressing his hope that leaders and people of both countries will continue working together closely and support each other in completing all important tasks, including developing socialist-oriented economy and ensuring defense-security.
The same day, Nhan paid a courtesy call on Bounthong Divixay, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Governor of Champasak province, during which he affirmed that HCM City always work hard to preserve, reinforce and develop special ties with Laos and Champasak province in particular.
Showing their delight at the growing partnership between the two localities over the past 18 years, the two officials noted that along with joint efforts in implementing the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the 2016-2020 period, HCM City and Champasak have maintained the regular exchange of delegations.
HCM City has granted 20 scholarships to Champasak students each year, thereby helping the Lao province to train its human resources.
Nhan proposed that Champasak continue prioritizing and creating favorable conditions for HCM City’s projects, while supporting workers and technicians from the city, and strengthen bilateral collaboration in education and hi-tech agriculture. He also asked for Champasak’s assistance to the Vietnamese community in the province.
Nhan told the host that that in Match 2018, a delegation from the HCM City People’s Council led by its chairwoman Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam will visit Champasak to share experience in people’s council affairs, focusing on urban management and investment policy supervision.
Bounthong Divixay hailed the close cooperation between the two localities over the past years, adding that Champasak wants to learn HCM City’s financial experience.
Also on January 25, Nhan visited the Champasak Friendship Primary School, the Vietnamese General Consulate in Pakse, and the Vietnamese Association in Laos.
Source: VNA