PANO - Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh hosted a reception for Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Thongsavanh Phomvihane on March 9th at the ministry's headquarters.

General Phung Quang Thanh (right) receiving Lao Ambassador to Vietnam.

At the reception, Lao Ambassador Thongsavanh Phomvihane highly valued Vietnam's development over the past time and underlined the country's growing role in international and regional forums.

The guest also expressed his hope to receive more help from Vietnam's Party, State, and army in the time to come, as his country holds the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2016.

For his part, General Thanh reaffirmed the Vietnamese defence ministry's full support for Laos so that it could successfully hold national defence-related meetings during this year as the ASEAN chairman. The Vietnamese defense minister also reaffirmed the two countries' long-lasting and good friendship as well as Laos' role in maintaining security, peace and stability in the region.

He stressed that the two defence ministries should further boost cooperation to firmly protect each side's political security and promote their traditional partnership and special solidarity.

Translated by Trung Thanh