Viet Nam and Laos boast a long-standing special solidarity and faithful relationship nurtured by the late President Ho Chi Minh, along with leaders and peoples of the two countries.

A group of Da Nang visitors paying a visit to the Vietnamese Language Centre in Savannakhet Province

Most notably, Da Nang has played an important role in promoting the bilateral ties with a focus on giving active assistance to southern and central localities of Laos.

Over recent years, many works and projects bearing the hallmark of the Viet Nam-Lao special relations have been constructed in both countries.

Specifically mentioned is a memorial site in Kaysone Phomvihane District, Laotian central province of Savannakhet dedicated to the commemoration of the late President Ho Chi Minh

Covering an area of about 1,000m², the site was officially inaugurated in April 2014. The 300,000 USD work was funded by the Lao government’s budget.

The site is dedicated to honour the late President Ho Chi Minh who devoted to the Lao revolutionary movement between 1928 and 1929. It also helps Lao citizens to clearly understand about the life of Uncle Ho and his devotion to the revolutionary cause of the two countries.

Another work is the Vietnamese Language Centre in Savannakhet Province’s Kaysone Phomvihane District.

Funded by the Da Nang government, the centre was put into operation in 2011. In 2015, the municipal authorities funded the construction of a library at the centre.

Ms Linthone, Director of the Education and Sports of Savannakhet Province, said to date, the centre has trained 1,755 trainees who have been government officials, army soldiers, residents in Laos, and overseas Vietnamese in Thailand.

She highlighted important role of the centre in preserving and promoting the cultural identities of Viet Nam, as well as facilitating Lao students to practise Vietnamese language and deepen their understanding of Vietnamese culture.

The centre’s student Vannida Vinitsa said although she has never been to Viet Nam before, the S-shaped country is not unfamiliar to her because many of her friends and family members have been studying in Viet Nam.

“Laotian people always treat overseas Vietnamese in Laos as they do with their family members”, Vannida Vinitsa said proudly.

Another Lao student Khankham Inthachac said he had made every effort to learn Vietnamese language well in order to participate in next year’s entrance exam to a university in Viet Nam.

Khankham Inthachac added “Although I have never visited Viet Nam before, I have already tried many delicious Vietnamese dishes in my home country, including ‘pho bo’ (noodles with beef), ‘bun bo’ (beef rice vermicelli), and eel porridge”.

Meanwhile, Thipsavanh Phommachak considers Viet Nam as a must-visit destination in his life.

“I know Viet Nam through its images which have been advertised in the mass media, social network sites, and through the stories of my family members and friends who studied in the country”, he added.

Thipsavanh Phommachak said Viet Nam is one of South-East Asia's fastest-growing economies and its people are very hard-working and diligent.

He hopes to visit Viet Nam for studying and gaining valuable experience in a bid to contribute his youth and gained achievements to promoting his country’s progress.

The Governor of Savannakhet Province in Laos, Mr Santiphap Phomvihane, highly lauded the annual visits made by the Da Nang delegation which showed the special solidarity and friendship of the Party, government and people in Da Nang to the Laotian province.

During his recent visits to southern and central localities of Laos, Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Truong Quang Nghia affirmed that the municipal authorities would continue to provide active assistance for Laos, and implement many cooperative programmes in the years ahead under the memorandum of understanding between the two localities signed for the 2018-2022 period.

By DANG NO - Translated by MAI DUNG