In 2018, the Da Nang War Veterans’ Association and its counterpart in the Laotian province of Salavan inked the Memorandum of Understanding on friendship and cooperation agreement for the 2018 - 2022 period. This acted as a premise for the two associations to promote solidarity, linkage, exchange of experience, cooperative ties and deepen the special relationship between the two sides in particular and the two countries as a whole.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Veterans Association Bui Chi Loan (left) presents gifts to difficult war-veterans from Salavan Province. Photo courtesy of the Da Nang War-veterans Association.

Under the spirit of the aforementioned landmark memorandum, the two associations will strengthen close coordination in publicising information for their staff in a bid to preserve the time-honoured tradition of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and people of the two countries.

Also, the two sides have regularly exchanged information with each other, especially sources about searching for remains of Vietnamese martyrs and experts who laid down their lives in Laos during the two resistance wars.

Every two years, the two sides organise numerous exchanges of delegations and professional experience for their better work performances.

Of special note, in 2018, a Da Nang medical team paid a trip to Salavan to give examinations and distribute free medicines to 800 Laotian staffers living in difficult circumstances, donated 2 computers worth VND 30 million in total, 55,000 medical masks and 20 body temperature monitors totalling nearly VND 120 million to the Laotian association.

On the first days of November, 2022, the Da Nang association’s representatives took the Salavan trip during which the Da Nang visitors donated VND 300 million, 10 breeding cows worth VND 150 million, 1,500 new clothes, free medical examination and medicine for Laotian association.

In the time ahead, the Da Nang and Salavan associations as mentioned above will sign a memorandum of understanding on the coordination programme for the 2023 - 2027 period.

On the basis of the previous memorandum of understanding, the two agencies will continue to focus on preserving the tradition of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

In particular, the two sides will further strengthen the exchange of information on the search for remains of Vietnamese martyrs and experts who died whilst being on duty in Laos. Bilateral exchanges of delegations and experiences between the two associations in the coming time will continue to be maintained, thereby helping to lift the cooperative ties and solidarity to new heights.

Reporting by NGOC QUOC - Translating by A.THU