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Vietnamese and Lao Defense Ministers General Phan Van Giang and General Chansamone Chanyalath visit the Border Post of Long Sap Border Gate. |
The Lao defense chief, who is also Lao Deputy Prime Minister, spoke highly of the solidarity between the two countries and the close ties between the two militaries over the past time despite complicated developments in the region and the world. He expressed his belief in the Vietnamese Party, State, military's policy on building the Vietnam-Laos border areas of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development, including the border area between Vietnam's Son La and Laos' Houaphanh provinces.
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The two ministers plant a memorial tree at the border post. |
The two ministers later observed a joint exercise on cross-border drug-trafficking prevention in Moc Chau district, Son La province.
Vietnam and Laos have a shared borderline of over 2,300 km with 10 provinces of Vietnam bordering with 10 Lao provinces.
The two sides' border protection forces have well ensured political security, order and safety in the shared border area, creating conditions for border people to develop economy and stabilize their lives.
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Vietnamese and Lao Defense Minister observe a joint exercise on cross-border drug-trafficking prevention. |
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The two ministers present gifts to the participating units of the exercise. |
In the framework of this second edition, the two ministers leading the Vietnamese and Lao delegations attended an inaugural ceremony of classrooms of Long Sap Semi-boarding Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities.
The structure construction was funded by the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam.
The Lao minister said that the building of such facility demonstrated Vietnam's due attention to education in remote and mountainous areas to train local children to be the future of the nation, and become good cadres and officers.
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The two defense chiefs welcomed at the school |
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang presents gifts to the school's students. |
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General Chansamone Chanyalath presents gifts to the school's students. |
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The two ministers and other delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the classrooms. |
In the evening the same day, an exchange on political work and between young officers of the two countries was held. This was a highlight of the ongoing 2nd Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange.
The event spotlighted the special, unique solidarity between the two countries, the faithful sentiments between the two parties, peoples, and militaries, meaningful defense diplomacy activities in recent years, including the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisors fallen in Laos during wartime as well as efforts to build an exemplary Vietnam-Laos border area in terms of solidarity and friendship.
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Art performances at the exchange on political work and between young officers of Vietnam and Laos |
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Talk highlights the close ties between the two parties, militaries and peoples. |
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Granting scholarships to disadvantaged students |
In the program, delegates talked about the mutual support, close-knit ties, and significant activities between authorities and people in the shared border area, the close coordination between the two countries’ border protection forces, contributing to nurturing the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, and firmly safeguarding each country’s sovereignty and border security and building a comprehensively-strong shared border area.
As part of the program, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense granted 100 “Paving the way to school for children” scholarships to disadvantaged students in Vietnam and Laos.
Translated by Mai Huong