Vietnamese, Lao war veterans cement ties
Colonel Nguyen Hong Ha is leading a Vietnamese war veteran delegation to visit their former battle fields in Laos from March 22-29.
The officials met their peers from the Lao War Veterans’ Association on March 27, during which both sides shared experience in poverty alleviation, and improving health and living standards for ex-servicemen and women.
Colonel Hong recalled the hard war years when the two countries’ veterans stood side by side to overcome difficulties.
Major General Thongkhen Ondavong highlighted the special bilateral relationship and expressed his deep gratitude to the Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed their lives to the cause of Lao national salvation.
He said the Lao people and war veterans in particular will always remember their valuable assistance and vow to promote the bilateral long-standing ties among the younger generations.
Vietnam and Laos share a 2,000km border, the longest land border that Vietnam shares with a neighbouring country.
In addition to sound political relations, both sides have also enjoyed strong economic ties with two-way trade reaching US$817 million by October 2013.
The two nations are striving to increase bilateral trade turnover to US$2 billion in 2015 and US$5 billion in 2020.