The talks took place right after a solemn reception hosted by General Phan Van Giang for his Lao counterpart.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Lao counterpart signing the cooperation plan 2023 |
At the talks, the Vietnamese defense minister warmly welcomed General Chansamone Chanyalath and the high-ranking Lao military delegation in their official visit to Vietnam and attend the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022.
He said that many big events in the two countries and militaries’ relations have taken place this year, and this visit marked the complete success of the “Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship Year 2022” between the two defense ministries.
General Phan Van Giang congratulated the guest on the 47th anniversary of the Lao National Defense (December 2, 1975 - 2022) and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the Lao people will achieve all targets set in the resolution of the 11th National Party Congress and the ninth five-year national socio-economic development plan.
Emphasizing that it was his first official visit to Vietnam since the 11th congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, General Chansamone Chanyalath hoped that the visit would help foster the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in different fields, including the defense ties.
At the meeting, the two officials evaluated that this year, authorized agencies under the two defense ministries have effectively worked together to implement activities within the “Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship Solidarity Year 2022” program, thus deepening the relations and special solidarity between the two countries and two militaries. In addition, the two sides’ agencies and units have exerted utmost efforts, coordinated with each other and completed the cooperation plan for 2022 with outstanding achievements in delegation exchange, defensive warfare, border protection and management, personnel training, disease examination and treatment.
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The two delegations posing for a joint photo after the talks |
Regarding the cooperation plan for the next year, the two sides agreed to effectively carry out cooperation contents; consider giving priority to the building of two villages in the Lao provinces of Houaphanh and Phongsaly; pay due attention to cooperation in training, human resource building; hold exchanges, twinning activities and support each other. They also consented to promote the ties among Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian militaries on the basis of the outcomes of the meeting among three defense ministers in September 2022 and back Laos in organizing ASEAN military-defense meetings successfully.
At the end of the talks, the two defense ministers signed the cooperation plan 2023, and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in legal affairs with the two defense ministries’ Legal Departments as signatories.
Translated by Mai Huong