Vietnam, Laos to hold first border friendship exchange

Nguyen Tien Thang, head of the Political Department under the Border Guard High Command, said the event will involve the Border Guard High Command of Vietnam, the Lao Border Guard Department under the Lao General Staff of People’s Army, and the General Department of Police under the Lao Ministry of Public Security. 

It aims to foster solidarity and traditional friendship between Vietnamese and Lao border guards and increase their collaboration for the sake of a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development. 

The exchange is due to feature a joint patrol from Marker 256 to Marker 266 near the Long Sap border gate, martial art demonstration, inauguration of a military medical station, free health check-ups for local residents, and grant of scholarships to 10 poor students and breeding cows to 100 poor households from the two countries, and a seminar on border defence, anti-crime and socio-economic development at border areas. 

The event is concurrent with the 40th anniversary of the signing of Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18) and the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (September 5).