The ceremony announcing the opening of the Long Sap - Pa Hang international border gate. Photo: Anh Tuan

On November 19th, at the Long Sap International Border Gate (border marker 255), Moc Chau district, Son La province, a ceremony was held to announce the opening of the Long Sap International Border Gate and the Pa Hang International Border Gate in Hua Phan province, Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The announcement ceremony was attended by leaders from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, various ministries and agencies of both Vietnam and Laos, as well as leaders from the northern provinces of Laos and Son La province.

The Long Sap main border gate was established on March 1, 1990, according to the Vietnam-Laos Border Regime Agreement. The border gate is located in Phieng Cai village, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau district; opposite is the Pa Hang border gate in Pa Hang village, Sop Bau district, Hua Phan province. Border marker 255 is located in the border gate area.

On December 22, 2020, the Government issued Resolution No. 182/NQ-CP on upgrading the Long Sap main border gate in Son La province to an international border gate.

Subsequently, on December 31, 2020, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to the Lao side informing them that the Vietnamese Government had decided to upgrade the Long Sap main border gate in Son La province to an international border gate and requested the Lao side to promptly upgrade the Pa Hang main border gate in Hua Phan province to an international border gate. On September 16, 2024, the Lao Government agreed to approve the upgrading of the Pa Hang main border gate to an international border gate.

The announcement of the opening of the Long Sap - Pa Hang international border gate will promote economic, trade, investment, cultural, and tourism exchanges between the border provinces of Vietnam and Laos, contributing to the economic, social, defense, and security development of the border areas of each country and the two provinces of Son La and Hua Phan, as well as contributing to regional and inter-regional linkages and the building of the ASEAN community.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Viet emphasized that the locality will be determined to maximize the potential of this pair of international border gates, effectively serving the construction of a rapidly and sustainably developing province and contributing to the sustainable development of Hua Phan province.

At the same time, it will help the two provinces integrate quickly, safely, and deeply into the common environment of the ASEAN region and international friends, making a positive contribution to consolidating, nurturing, and developing the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Minh Nguyen