In an interview with the Da Nang Newspaper on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962) and 45 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18, 1977), Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang, the Lao Consul General in Da Nang, noted that south central provinces of Laos, and the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’ as a whole, wanted to continue promoting comprehensive cooperation with Da Nang in the time to come.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (sixth, left) visits and presents flowers to the Consulate General of Laos in Da Nang on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962) and 45 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18, 1977). Photo: NGOC PHU

According to the Lao diplomat, 2022 was a special importance year for Laos and Viet Nam, and the Lao government has directed all-level authorities to organise some activities to celebrate the two aforementioned events. In particular, the Lao government and provincial authorities have invited high-level delegations of Da Nang to attend exchange activities and share experiences in various spheres.

He emphasised that, in recent years, Da Nang has provided active support in the aspects of education, agriculture, commerce, services, and infrastructure for south central provinces of Laos. Specially, the city has granted full and semi-full scholarships for Lao students to study in the locality.

Also, Da Nang has funded the construction of Viet Nam-Laos friendship schools and Vietnamese language centres in south central localities of Laos, as well as shared pandemic-triggered difficulties with Laotian citizens.

Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang underlined that the recent working trips to Laotian south central provinces of the Da Nang high-ranking delegation, led by municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang, marked an important milestone in the friendship and cooperation relationship between Da Nang and these Laotian localities.

“I myself had more than 10 years of studying and working in Viet Nam. Now, returning back to Da Nang to work is like coming back to my home. Vietnamese people, including Da Nang ones, are extremely friendly and hospitable, and the local natural scenery is peaceful and beautiful” added he.

As Consul General of Laos in Da Nang, he vowed to do his utmost to promote the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Viet Nam and Laos in general, Da Nang and Laotian south central provinces in particular, in the coming time.

He hoped that the bilateral cooperation ties with Da Nang in such spheres as education, hi-tech agriculture, commerce and investment would be further strengthened in the time ahead.

He also expressed his desire that the city would facilitate local businesses to visit and learn about Laos’ investment climate to conduct investment activities and expand consumption markets, thereby significantly contributing to promoting socio-economic development of Laos, especially Lao south central provinces.

Notably, south central provinces of Laos want to learn from Da Nang’s experience in building a digital economy and digital government.

Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang took the opportunity to express his deep gratitude to the government and people of Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole, for their special support for his country over the past time. He wished the Viet Nam - Laos close-knit relations would be increasingly intensified in the future.  

Reporting by NGOC PHU - Translating by M.DUNG