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General Ngo Xuan Lich and Senior Lieutenant General Chansamone Channhalat reviewing the guards-of-honor of the Vietnam People’s Army
On January 9 morning, the Vietnamese Defense Minister hosted a grand ceremony to receive his Lao counterpart at the Headquarters of Military Zone 5. The host delegation also included Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang; Deputy Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh; Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics, Major General Le Hien Van; and other representatives of defense agencies and military units.
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Vietnamese Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich (left) and Lao Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Chansamone Channhalat  

The visit to Vietnam of the Lao Defense Minister is taking place after Vietnamese Party General Secretary has paid an official visit to Laos, and when the two countries are preparing to celebrate 40 years of the signing of the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement (July 18, 1977) and 55 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos (September 5, 1962).

This visit has also provided a good chance for the two sides to discuss measures to expand Vietnam-Laos bilateral defense cooperation, which is expected to develop to a new high level and to bring about more practical outcomes in the future, contributing to general bilateral relations between the two countries. 

Translated by Thu Nguyen