Good friends and good neighbours along the Lao-Vietnam border

This story marks the Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.

Xieng Khuang province in northern Laos, which is best known for the historic Plain of Jars, has forged special relations with several provinces of Vietnam that emphasise the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
Authorities in Xieng Khuang province are organising several activities to further boost the special solidarity with the neighbouring provinces of Vietnam, which increased after the two countries threw off the yoke of foreign aggressors.
Xieng Khuang shares a border of more than 160 km with Vietnam’s Nghe An province, and the two provinces have supported each other since the two countries proclaimed independence in 1975. The leaders of the two provinces signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the exchange of visits at the provincial level. Their leaders visit each other every year to consolidate their special solidarity.
As the cooperation between Laos and Vietnam expanded, Xieng Khuang province too developed cooperation with other Vietnamese provinces. Xieng Khuang signed MOUs to develop friendly ties with more provinces in Vietnam over the years.
Xieng Khuang currently has such arrangements with five provinces in Vietnam – Son La, Nghe An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Thanh Hoa.
The Vietnamese provinces and Xieng Khuang support each other to provide convenience to people of both countries, especially those living near the border, as they have a long tradition of living together peacefully as good neighbours and friends.
A senior official of Xieng Khuang province said several provinces in Vietnam have offered help in various areas since 2010. Authorities in Nghe An helped construct the building of Phonsavanh Secondary School at a cost of 10 billion dong, and in 2012, the province provided funds to build a cultural hall at a cost of US$ 1.9 million.
Also in 2012, Nghe An province provided crops and animals and organised a training course on advanced techniques for growing crops and raising animals in Xieng Khuang.
Apart from this, authorities in Nghe An contributed funds to maintain a Lao-Vietnamese museum and to build the Huaykham museum.
In 2020, Nghe An provided medical materials to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Xieng Khuang benefited from 30 scholarships for bachelor’s and master’s degrees provided by Nghe An’s provincial authorities.
Xieng Khuang and Nghe An have also encouraged people in Laos and Vietnam to continue the long tradition of cooperation which was initially created and nurtured by Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane, Souphanouvong and Ho Chi Minh.
According to a senior official in Xieng Khuang province, the special cooperation between the two provinces continued during 2010-21, when they conducted a joint search for the remains of Vietnamese citizens in Xieng Khuang.
Xieng Khuang sent back to Vietnam the remains of 1,200 Vietnamese soldiers located in the three provinces of Xaysomboun, Xieng Khuang and Vientiane. During 1984-2021, Xieng Khuang province sent back the remains of 12,000 soldiers to Vietnam.
In addition, Vietnam’s Son La province provided two billion dong to build the Touya secondary school in Nonghet district and another 1.5 billion dong to build a dispensary in Lathbouak group. In the past, Son La has provided more than 10 billion dong to build a library and for provincial administrative work. It has provided an average of 40 scholarships a year for Lao students to pursue studies in several subjects.
Vietnam’s Vinh Long province signed an MOU with Xieng Khuang in 2011 to help build a kindergarten in the provincial capital at a cost of 3 billion dong. It also provided some scholarships for students from Xieng Khuang.
Tien Giang province in Vietnam signed an MOU with Xieng Khuang in 2012 and provided funds for growing high quality tea on an area of two hectares at Nhuanthong in Paek district. Apart from this, Tien Giang helped draw up a plan for growing grass to feed animals and for planting fruit trees in Xieng Khuang.
Tien Giang province has provided nearly 10 billion dong to Xieng Khuang since 2012. A number of students from Xieng Khuang are currently studying in Tien Giang.
Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa province has assisted authorities in Xieng Khuang province since the two provinces signed an MOU in 2012. This has included support to build infrastructure, improve agriculture and help needy families in Xieng Khuang. Thanh Hoa has built an ethnic dormitory school at a cost of more than 63 billion dong and an agricultural technique service centre at a cost of US$ 1.7 million. It has also provided more than US$ 22 million to build the Lao-Vietnamese friendship hospital and more than US$6 million to build the Phonsavanh school.
Several other provinces of Vietnam have also provided money and materials to authorities in Xieng Khuang to develop the province and to help the local people have a better life. Xieng Khuang and the Vietnamese provinces will keep on helping each other in future for the development of the region.
--Vansay Tavinyan is Editor-in-Chief of Pasaxon Newspaper.

By  Vansay Tavinyan & Phon Thikeo
(Latest Update July 6, 2022)