The talk was co-chaired by Major General Le Duc Thai, Commanding General of the Vietnam Border Guard Command, and Major General Siphan Phutthavong, Director of the Lao Border Guard Department.
At the event, the two senior officers stressed that the collaboration between the two border guard forces has been increasingly enhanced over the past time, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, they have implemented the two governments’ agreement on dealing with issues regarding illegal migrants and marriage without legal recognition in localities on both sides of the shared borderline. The two border guard forces have actively disseminated laws and regulations of each country and raised locals’ awareness of the two countries’ signed protocol on borderline and border markers, and agreements on border and territory inked by the two governments.
In addition, both sides regularly exchanged information and conducted joint patrols as well as collaborated closely in solving emerging issues along the borderline on the basis of solidarity, friendship, and mutual understanding. In the 2019-2020 academic year, schools of the Vietnam Border Guard Command provided training courses for 49 Lao border officers and soldiers. Further, Vietnamese border guard units presented medical supplies, worth around VND 4.3 billion in total, to the Lao border guard units amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the meeting, the two sides agreed to continue implementing the signed agreements of the two Parties, States, and defense ministries, especially the Protocol on Defense Cooperation signed by the leaders of the Vietnamese and Lao defense ministries, and the Agreement on Border Guard Cooperation signed by the two sides in 2018.
They also consented to regularly conduct more joint patrols and tighten border management to prevent illegal immigration, as well as share information to promptly deal with emerging issues in joint border areas. In addition, the two border guard forces will accelerate dissemination of information about border laws and regulations and educate people living on both sides of the border on the signed border cooperation agreements and the Vietnam-Laos special friendship.
On the occasion, the Vietnam Border Guard Command presented USD 10,000 and medical supplies, worth VND 300 million, to assist the Lao border guard force in preventing the COVID-19.
Translated by Trung Thanh