Discussion on experience exchange in Party building organization between the Son La Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee and the Hua Phan Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee (Lao PDR).

Promoting the tradition of special solidarity and friendship

Vietnam and Laos are two close neighboring countries, mountains connected to mountains, rivers connected to rivers, the people of the two countries have a traditional friendship, long-standing and growing ties. The two peoples of Vietnam and Laos have shared the joys and sorrows, built a traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, becoming a priceless common asset and an extremely important factor, ensuring the success of each country's revolution. Our beloved President Ho Chi Minh also affirmed: "Vietnam and Laos, our two countries, have a love deeper than the Red River and the Mekong River". President Souphanouvong praised this international relationship as "Higher than mountains, longer than rivers, wider than the ocean, more beautiful than the full moon, more fragrant than any flower".

Having gone through many challenges, sacrifices and hardships for the independence, freedom and happiness of the two nations and peoples, the Vietnam - Laos relationship has become a symbol of the miraculous power that has created great victories for the Vietnamese and Lao people in the struggle for national liberation, in building and defending the country.

During the struggle for national liberation, right from the time when the Lao revolution was still facing difficulties, some villages in the border area of ​​Son La were the places that directly helped and sheltered Lao cadres, including comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han - the leader of the Lao ethnic people, who had been active in the revolution in Lao Kho village, Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district during the years 1948-1951.

Here, comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han and the Lao Bac Assault Committee established revolutionary bases, built forces, and resistance bases in Hua Phan province and the northern provinces of Laos, making an important contribution to bringing the Lao revolution to victory. Thousands of young people from Son La province enthusiastically enlisted, volunteered, and fought shoulder to shoulder with Pathet Lao soldiers and Lao ethnic people, fighting on all battlefields in the northern provinces of Laos until the day of total victory.

People of Son La and Hua Phan provinces (Lao PDR) visited the Vietnam - Laos revolutionary historical relic site in Lao Kho village, Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district.

The special solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have been increasingly strengthened through the signing of important documents. On September 5, 1962, the two countries officially established diplomatic relations; on July 18, 1977, Vietnam and Laos signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation; creating a solid legal basis for strengthening and expanding the special relationship and the basis for the two sides to sign a series of cooperation agreements later.

Having a border with the Lao PDR, Son La province is not only geographically close, but also has many similarities in natural and social conditions with neighboring provinces, which are favorable conditions for the two sides to strengthen their friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

Comprehensive cooperation in all fields

Currently, Son La province has friendly relations and signed comprehensive cooperation agreements with 9/18 provinces of Laos, including: Hua Phan, Luang Prabang, Udomxay, Bo Keo, Luang Nam Tha, Phong Sa Ly, Xieng Khouang, Xay Nha Bu Ly, Say Xom Bun.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said: In addition to regularly propagating and educating cadres, party members, armed forces and people about the tradition of special solidarity and friendship, comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, Son La province proactively helps develop the economy - society, coordinates with neighboring provinces to protect and build a peaceful and friendly border. Every year, the province organizes high-ranking delegations to visit and work with neighboring provinces of Laos; welcomes delegations of cadres and people from neighboring provinces to visit, work and exchange experiences in various fields; organizes the signing of agreements with sectors and localities.

Delegates of the People's Councils of Bo Keo, Phong Sa Ly and U Dom Xay provinces (Lao PDR) visited the mango model in Mai Son district.

The special relationship between Son La and the northern Lao provinces with many important and comprehensive cooperation programs in all fields. Typically, Son La province has allocated hundreds of billions of VND from the provincial budget to help the northern Lao provinces build infrastructure, such as: offices; cultural houses; television broadcasting stations; low-voltage stations and power grids; schools, classrooms, vocational training facilities, dormitories, brick factories; hospitals, clinics, etc. Some typical aid projects include: Luang Prabang Provincial Political - Administrative School, Hua Phan Provincial Television Broadcasting Station, Phong Sa Ly Provincial Ethnic Boarding School, low-voltage stations and power grids for the Phieng Sa area (Xieng Kho - Hua Phan), repair and upgrade of Muong Et ferry, Udomxay Provincial Political - Administrative School; headquarters of the Vieng Kham District Military Command (Luong Pha Bang); Phong Sa Ly Provincial Vocational School, Xay Nha Bu Ly Provincial Cultural House; Bo Keo Provincial Fish and Plant Breeding Center; construction of the hall of Luong Nam Tha Provincial Ethnic Boarding School; construction of a school in Xay Nha Bu Ly District...

In the economic field, the management of border trade activities between Son La province and neighboring Lao provinces is always carried out in accordance with regulations. Preferential policies under the Border Trade Agreement are widely implemented to businesses and border residents in the area. Son La province and the northern Lao provinces regularly contact, grasp information, closely coordinate, and implement cooperation programs for agricultural and rural development. At the same time, Son La province creates conditions for businesses to grasp information, produce and supply plant varieties, aquatic animals, and cooperate in production and business with businesses in neighboring Lao provinces. Every year, the value of import and export of goods between Son La province and neighboring Lao provinces is nearly 1 million USD; the main export goods are agricultural products, construction materials, consumer goods, animal feed, fertilizers; the main imported goods are equipment for production and business.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Son La province and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Hua Phan province signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in forest protection, development and forest fire prevention.

Mr. Ha Nhu Hue, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared: The Department has organized working delegations to Lao provinces to share experiences and production techniques; coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of neighboring provinces to survey climate and soil, and support the implementation of appropriate fruit tree and livestock development models. From 2020 to present, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Son La has supported farmers in the provinces of Hua Phan, Luong Pha Bang, and Luong Nam Tha with 17,900 fruit tree seedlings; implemented 70 hectares of mango, longan, orange, and grapefruit planting models. At the same time, organized meetings to evaluate the coordination of forest protection, development, and forest fire prevention in border areas; and signed a memorandum of cooperation.

In the field of culture and education, Son La province has increased the reception and training of human resources from neighboring Lao provinces. From 2015 to present, it has received over 3,000 Lao students to study. Of these, over 2,000 students have completed their training programs and returned to work in the country. Currently, nearly 1,000 Lao students are studying at Tay Bac University, Son La College, and Son La Medical College. In addition, the Vietnamese language training system for ministries has more than 600 people, who have returned to work in the country after completing their training programs. Through the assessment of the results of cooperation in training human resources in the northern Lao provinces, it can be seen that many Lao students after graduating and returning to work in the country have held important and key positions in state agencies, serving well in the cause of building and developing the Lao PDR. In addition, Son La province is currently developing a project "Intermediate political theory training for cadres in Northern Lao provinces", in which it is expected to train Vietnamese for 9 months and then train intermediate theory for 6 months, with training and study costs supported by Son La province.

Activities of visiting, working, signing cultural cooperation agreements; traditional New Year greetings; cultural exchanges between levels and sectors of Son La province and neighboring Lao provinces take place regularly; successfully coordinating the organization of the events "Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival", "Linking to develop Son La - Luang Prabang tourism tours"; surveying, evaluating, connecting the tourism route from Hanoi - Moc Chau (Son La) - Hua Phan... Thereby, helping people of the two countries to visit, experience, explore the beauty of landscapes, culture, people of each locality, from there, build attractive tour programs, promote tourism development.

Delegates from Son La province and Lao students perform the wrist-tying ceremony.

Cooperation in the health sector continues to receive attention. Every year, the northern provinces of Laos send international students to study at Son La Medical College. In particular, after being upgraded to Son La Medical College, the number of international students studying here has increased. Since 2010, the school has trained more than 2,000 Lao students in three main professions: pharmacist, nursing and midwifery. In addition, Son La province always creates favorable conditions for people of the neighboring country to receive medical examination, treatment and free medicine at district hospitals and border health stations; maintains exchanges and shares information on the epidemic situation. In particular, during the peak period of Covid-19 prevention and control, Son La province donated medical supplies to 9 Lao provinces with a total value of more than 3 billion VND. Departments, branches, neighboring districts, and twin districts support Lao localities in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, with a total budget of nearly 1 billion VND...

The armed forces of Son La province actively coordinate with the armed forces of Lao provinces to regularly patrol and exchange information on the situation of incidents related to national defense, security, crime prevention and control, illegal migration, entry and exit, and protection of sovereignty and border security between the two countries. Support the neighboring country with funding to build 51 police headquarters with a total value of 7.5 billion VND; coordinate with Hua Phan province to implement contents related to upgrading the main border gate pair of Long Sap (Vietnam) - Pa Hang (Laos) into an international border gate... People-to-people diplomacy with neighboring Lao provinces has been strengthened; maintaining the twinning relationship of 7 pairs of villages on both sides of the border and 10 pairs of posts with border guard companies; cultural and artistic exchanges are organized regularly, increasingly tightening the solidarity between the army and people on both sides of the border.

Son La College organizes traditional Bunpimay New Year for Lao students.

The comprehensive cooperation relationship is increasingly developing, going into depth, practicality and effectiveness in all fields between Son La province and the provinces of Laos, contributing to fostering the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos forever green and everlasting.

Thanh Huyen