Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane sign MoU to boost cooperation

The agreement was signed on Friday morning in Ho Chi Minh City during a working visit by a high-level Vientiane delegation led by Atsaphangthong Siphandone, secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee under the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and chairman of the Vientiane People’s Council, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The signing ceremony, witnessed by secretary Siphandone and Vo Van Minh, a deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and chairman of the municipal People’s Council, followed talks between the two officials earlier the same day.

Under the MoU for the 2026–30 period, Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane agreed to expand cooperation in key sectors, including political and diplomatic relations, defense and security, legal and judicial affairs, economic cooperation, education, and socio-cultural exchanges, as well as collaboration between socio-political organizations.

Both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and encourage closer coordination among agencies, departments, and local organizations.

They also agreed to jointly organize activities marking the 65th anniversary of Vietnam–Laos diplomatic ties and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam–Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation as part of the ‘Vietnam–Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2027’.

The two sides also emphasized stronger cooperation in Party building, political system development, and socio-economic governance, while expanding exchanges of experience between the two city-level People’s Councils in lawmaking, supervision, and decision-making.

They also agreed to promote public awareness of the special Vietnam–Laos relationship, particularly among younger generations.

In economic cooperation, both sides agreed to increase exchanges of information on investment opportunities, development strategies, and policies.

They will also facilitate business linkages, focusing on trade, agriculture, agro-processing, and technology transfer.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the results of previous cooperation and noted positive outcomes under the 2021–25 cooperation framework.

They highlighted frequent high-level exchanges, which have helped strengthen political trust and mutual understanding between the two cities.

They also highlighted several key projects that have been effectively implemented, including a cattle farming model in Vientiane and the ‘Vietnamese Families with Lao Students’ program in Ho Chi Minh City, along with practical and substantive cooperation among departments, sectors, and socio-political organizations.

The officials described the new MoU as an important milestone, creating a fresh framework for Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane to further deepen bilateral cooperation.

They stressed that the memorandum not only builds on existing achievements but also expands collaboration into new areas in line with each side’s development needs in the next phase of development.

Earlier on Thursday evening, Dang Minh Thong, another deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, hosted a reception for the Vientiane delegation, reaffirming the city’s strong commitment to its ties with Vientiane and its hope for more substantive and effective cooperation.

He said the 25-year partnership between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane should be further deepened to better meet the expectations of both Parties and peoples, while highlighting Ho Chi Minh City’s ongoing administrative reforms and suggesting greater exchange of experience in local governance and urban management.

In response, secretary Siphandone said the delegation had previously worked with Hanoi and Khanh Hoa Province before arriving in Ho Chi Minh City.

He expressed Vientiane’s interest in learning from Ho Chi Minh City’s experience in managing commune-level administration as Laos continues to streamline its local governance system.

He also voiced confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue to deepen and bring practical benefits to both sides.