Attending the meeting of Son La province were comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Border Steering Committee; members of the Provincial Steering Committee.

The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with Son La province.

Son La province has over 274 km of border with the two provinces of Hua Phan and Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Son La's border line has 1 international border gate, 1 main border gate, 2 secondary border gates and 7 openings. In recent times, national territorial sovereignty, border system and national border markers have been ensured to be safe and intact; political security, social order and safety in the border area have been stable; people on both sides of the border have complied with the provisions of the Agreement on Border Management Regulations and Land Border Gate Regulations as well as the Party's policies and the State's laws on both sides.

Leaders of the Department of Foreign Affairs spoke at the meeting.

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

Leaders of the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command spoke at the meeting.

As of September 2024, border guards have organized 30 bilateral patrols; 239 unilateral patrols; 1,074 area control patrols. The provincial Border Guard directly and in coordination with other forces detect, arrest, and promptly handle crimes and other violations of the law. The value of import and export of goods 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 thousand USD, imports are estimated at 1.4 million USD)...

At the meeting, Son La province proposed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinate with competent authorities at the central level to study and unify the use of exit and entry documents to ensure compliance with the regulations of the two countries and create favorable conditions for border residents of the two countries to work, visit relatives, travel and trade. Consider the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and the Prime Minister to submit to the National Assembly for approval of the policy to resolve Son La province's difficulties in using local budget sources to support provinces of Laos. Pay attention to and promptly consider adjusting and supplementing regulations on conditions for carrying out export and import activities through secondary border gates to create favorable conditions for traders and people of border provinces...

Comrade Nguyen Minh Vu spoke 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 performing well in foreign affairs. He suggested that Son La province perform better in foreign affairs, especially with Laos, to build a peaceful, stable, cooperative and sustainable border area. Regarding Son La province's recommendations, the working group will compile and send them to relevant ministries and branches for consideration and resolution.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet spoke at the meeting.

On behalf of Son La province, comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its attention and support to Son La province in the past time. He hoped that in the coming time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to pay attention to helping the province in foreign affairs and international cooperation, contributing to further promoting the traditional friendly cooperative relationship, expanding cooperation with new partners, promoting the advantages of the locality, attracting investment, trade, tourism, and developing the socio-economy in the province.

PV Group