(Bqp.vn) - Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang held talks with his Lao Counterpart General Chansamone Chanyalath who is also Lao Deputy Prime Minister, on October 22 in Moc Chau district, Son La province (Vietnam) in the framework of the second Vietnam - Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange.
During the talks.
At the event, General Phan Van Giang emphasized that the year 2024 witnesses many important events in the two countries and militaries’ cooperative ties, such as high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, visits by both countries’ senior leaders, celebration activities to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Army, the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and the upcoming 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army.
He confirmed that over the past five years of implementing the protocol on defence cooperation in the 2020 - 2024 period, the two sides have achieved important and substantive results with some fields exceeding the set targets.
General Phan Van Giang speaking at the event.
General Phan Van Giang highlighted that political trust and strategic alignment have been deepened, and the solidarity and close-knit ties between the two militaries have been strengthened. In addition, the two sides have closely coordinated and supported each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms, and international events hosted by each side.
According to General Phan Van Giang, forms and mechanisms of cooperation have become increasingly diverse and spread intensively. Many historic and inaugural defence diplomacy events have been organized, such as the first Vietnam - Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange in 2021, and the first Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia Border Defence Friendship Exchange in 2023. Security and order in the border areas of the two countries have been increasingly strengthened while more attention has been paid to cooperation in human resources training.
General Chansamone Chanyalath speaking at the event.
Highly praising the preparation for this second edition of the exchange, General Chansamone Chanyalath stressed that the exchange serves as an effective and distinctive cooperation model between the two countries. It is an important political activity that reflects the political will of the two parties, states, militaries and localities, especially the people and border protection forces of the two countries, in enhancing the solidarity and friendship, practical cooperation for building a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development for regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
General Phan Van Giang presenting a souvenir to General Chansamone Chanyalath.
The two defence ministers agreed to further enhance cooperation in Party and political work with a focus on effective dissemination and education about the history, significance, and importance of the special relations between Vietnam and Laos. They also pledged to effectively maintain existing cooperation mechanisms, such as annual high-level delegation exchanges, the deputy ministerial-level defence policy dialogue, regular cooperation between the two sides’ agencies and units.
General Phan Van Giang and General Chansamone Chanyalath at the event.
They reached agreement on improving the effectiveness of military and defence cooperation, especially in responding to non-traditional security challenges; further cooperating in managing and protecting the borderline and border makers, human resources training, and searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisors who laid down their lives during the war in Laos.
The two defence ministers signing agreements between the two defence ministries.
At the end of the talks, General Phan Van Giang and General Chansamone Chanyalath signed a protocol on defence cooperation in the 2025 - 2029 period and a cooperation plan for 2025.
