General Hoang Xuan Chien conducts a field inspection at the Long Sap border gate area. Photo: Viet Lam

Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Member of the Central Military Commission, Commander of the Border Guard; Lieutenant General Nguyen Anh Tuan, Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar of the Border Guard; Ms. Trang Thi Xuan, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Son La province; representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Operations, the Department of Propaganda (Ministry of National Defense), the Border Guard Command, the 2nd Military Region Command and related agencies and units; and departments and branches of Son La province participated in the inspection team.

General Hoang Xuan Chien and his delegation inspect the Long Sap border gate area. Photo: Viet Lam

Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien personally inspected the preparations at: the Long Sap border gate area, the Long Sap Border Guard Post, the training ground for coordinated efforts to combat and prevent drug crimes, the Long Sap Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School, and the Moc Chau District Administrative Center – the locations where the main activities of the exchange program will take place.

At the inspection sites, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien encouraged and presented gifts to the forces participating in the preparation for the exchange program…

The Deputy Minister of National Defense encouraged border guards in Son La to participate in joint border patrol training. Photo: Viet Lam

Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Comrade Trang Thi Xuan present gifts to officers and soldiers of the Lao Border Guard participating in joint border patrol training. Photo: Viet Lam

Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien inspects the Long Sap Border Gate Border Guard Station. Photo: Viet Lam

The inspection team visits the grounds of Long Sap Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School. Photo: Viet Lam

The inspection team at the Moc Chau District Administrative Center. Photo: Viet Lam

Following a field inspection, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien chaired a meeting to review the preparation for the exchange program. At the meeting, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien commended and highly appreciated the relevant agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense for their active and proactive efforts in preparing for the 2nd Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange Program, ensuring the basic completion of all planned tasks and activities. He also thanked the close coordination and cooperation of the departments, agencies, and localities of Son La province in organizing the program. Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien also listened to the suggestions and proposals from the agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense as well as the local government.

General Hoang Xuan Chien concludes the inspection. Photo: Viet Lam

Concluding the inspection, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien emphasized that the 2nd Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange Program is an opportunity to contribute to fostering the close relationship between the two countries, especially between the people in the border regions of both countries. It also highlights the responsibility of the border protection forces of both countries to cooperate more closely and effectively in protecting the border and boundary markers, combating crime, helping people alleviate poverty, and building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative, and mutually developing Vietnam-Laos border.

In that spirit, the comrade requested that the relevant agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense, based on their assigned tasks, continue to uphold their sense of responsibility, coordinate closely with each other, as well as with the departments, branches, and localities of Son La province, to complete all preparatory work and ensure the successful organization of the 2nd Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange Program.

Viet Lam