Many of Vietnamese artist Phan Van Dac’s artworks depict foreign landscapes, such as this one featuring That Luang in Vientiane.                                         --Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

  Laos and Vietnam celebrate important events  

This is another important year for Laos and Vietnam as the two neighbours are celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations through several big events that highlight their special solidarity and mutual assistance.
Many celebrations are being held in Laos to mark the Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
These events help the younger generation to better understand the relations, special solidarity and mutual assistance between Laos and Vietnam in the regional and international arenas.  
Vietnam was among the first countries to help Laos respond to the Covid-19 pandemic against the backdrop of a global health crisis and economic slowdown.
The Vietnamese government funded the construction of the new Lao National Assembly building at a cost of US$100 million (about 831 billion kip).
According to a Vietnamese media (Nhan Dan) report, Vietnam currently has 209 investment projects in Laos with a total registered capital of US$5.18 billion.
Last year, five new projects were registered and four underwent capital adjustments. The total combined capital for these projects is US$112.84 million, an increase of 27 percent compared to 2020.
Trade between Laos and Vietnam has continued to grow despite the pandemic, with two-way trade touching US$1.34 billion in 2021, an increase of 30.2 percent over the figure for the previous year.
Cooperation in education between the two neighbours has strengthened and there are currently more than 14,000 Lao nationals studying in Vietnam.
The governments of Laos and Vietnam have vowed to create favourable conditions to facilitate the broadening of cooperation in trade, investment, education and other areas with potential.
The two sides have agreed to increase the value of year-on-year two-way trade by 10 to 15 percent this year. In addition, they agreed to expand cooperation in communications and transport, hydropower development, electricity transmission and the purchase of energy.
Recently, Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment, Nguyen Chi Dung, led a delegation to Laos, and the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly build a railway line linking Vung Ang Port in Vietnam’s central Ha Tinh province with Vientiane.
The Lao government has green-lighted a feasibility study for a railway line connecting Vientiane with Thakhaek in central Khammuan province as part of the Laos-Vietnam Railway Project (LVRP).
The LVRP, which is a high-speed electrified railway project, has a length of 452 km, and will be built with a total investment of US$5 billion. It has been under consideration since 2015. 
In the first phase, a 139-km railway line will connect Thakhaek town with Vung Ang sea port in Vietnam . The second phase will see the construction of a 312-km line connecting Thakhaek and Vientiane.
The LVRP will also allow the connection of logistics supply routes between Laos and Vietnam.
This is part of the Laos Logistics Link (LLL) project, which will connect Vung Ang sea port with the Laos-Vietnam Railway, Thanaleng Inland Port and Vientiane’s logistics area.
The Lao Petroleum Trading Lao Public Company (PetroTrade), which has signed an MOU with the Lao government, will hire independent domestic and international consulting firms to carry out the work that is expected to be completed and approved within 24 months.

By  Times Reporters
(Latest Update July 5, 2022)