Attending the working session in Son La province were Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and Head of the Provincial Border Affairs Steering Committee; and other members of the Provincial Steering Committee.

A delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with Son La province.

Son La province has over 274 km of border with Hua Phan and Luang Prabang provinces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Son La border line includes one international border gate, one main border gate, two secondary border gates, and seven border crossings. Over the past period, national territorial sovereignty, the border system, and border markers have been ensured to be safe and secure; political security and social order in the border area have been stable; and the people on both sides of the border have complied well with the regulations of the Agreement on the Management of Land Borders and Border Gates, as well as the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws of both sides.

The head of the Department of Foreign Affairs speaks at the meeting.

The member agencies of the Provincial Border Steering Committee; the Party committees, local governments, and functional forces of both sides regularly consolidate, maintain, and uphold the traditional relationship of solidarity and friendship; closely coordinate in resolving incidents arising in the border area; and consistently maintain economic and social development, poverty alleviation, and gradually improve the material and spiritual lives of the people in the border area.

Leaders of the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command delivered speeches at the working session.

As of September 2024, border guard posts had conducted 30 bilateral patrols; 239 unilateral patrols; and 1,074 territorial control patrols. The provincial border guard forces, both directly and in coordination with other forces, promptly detected, apprehended, and handled criminal acts and other violations of the law. The value of goods imported and exported through border gates in Son La province with neighboring Lao provinces is estimated at over 1.95 million USD (of which exports are estimated at 553,000 USD, and imports at 1.4 million USD)...

During the meeting, Son La province requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with competent authorities at the central level to study and standardize the use of entry and exit documents that both comply with the regulations of both countries and facilitate border residents of both countries for work, visiting relatives, tourism, and trade. They also requested consideration of a proposal to the Ministry of Finance and the Prime Minister to submit to the National Assembly for approval the policy to resolve Son La province's difficulties in using local budget funds to support provinces in Laos. Furthermore, they requested attention and prompt consideration of adjustments and additions to regulations on the conditions for conducting export and import activities through secondary border gates to facilitate trade and people in border provinces…

Comrade Nguyen Minh Vu delivered a speech at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Nguyen Minh Vu congratulated Son La province on its achievements in various fields, especially in maintaining national border security and effectively carrying out foreign affairs. He requested Son La province to further improve its foreign affairs work, especially with neighboring Laos, and to build a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and sustainably developing border region. Regarding Son La province's recommendations, the delegation will compile them and send them to relevant ministries and agencies for consideration and resolution.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet delivered a speech at the meeting.

On behalf of Son La province, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Viet expressed gratitude for the attention and assistance provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Son La province in the past. He hoped that in the future, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to pay attention to and assist the province in foreign affairs and international cooperation, contributing to further promoting the traditional friendly cooperative relationship, expanding cooperation with new partners, promoting the local advantages, attracting investment, trade, tourism, and socio-economic development in the province.

Reporters' Team