Vietnam-Laos road construction to start in late 2014
(VOV) - Vietnam and Laos will hasten preparations for a road project linking their two capitals Hanoi and Vientiane to get off the ground late this year.
This is the result of a working session in Hanoi on March 25 between Vietnamese Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and his Lao counterpart Bounchanh Sinthavong.
The two ministers agreed to accelerate construction of a 67km-road from Sam Tay District of Laos’ Houaphanh province to Tha Lau in the border between Vietnam and Laos.
The road will link Xiengkhouang and Houaphanh provinces of Laos and Thanh Hoa province of Vietnam, and will be the shortest road from Vientiane to Hanoi.
In addition, the two sides have completed the necessary procedures for approval to build a 105km road from Dien Bien province of Vietnam to Luang Prabang city of Laos.
Both ministers discussed a transport cooperation project to realize the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS CBTA).
Vietnam will consider revising transportation fees for Lao products at Cha Lo Economic Zone in Quang Binh province to Vung Ang Port in Ha Tinh province.
Ministers Thang and Sinthavong also agreed to work on a future comprehensive cooperation programme to implement the overall connectivity project between Vietnam and Laos.