Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Somsavad Lengsavath co-chaired the meeting.
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The mid-term meeting of Vietnam-Laos cooperation committee, Luang Prabang, Laos, August 12, 2012 -
Photo: VGP |
The two sides highly valued the close cooperation between agencies and local governments at all levels, in organizing activities celebrating the 2012 Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year.
They also noted the expanding cooperation in defense-security, education and human resource training, as well as the smooth coordination between the two countries at multilateral forums.
Regarding economic ties, by June this year, Vietnamese businesses had invested in 435 projects worth US$5.2 billion in Laos .
Import-export turnover between the two countries reached almost US $466 million in the period from January to June, an increase of 33% year on year. The figure is expected to reach US$1 billion for the entire 2012.
In the remaining months of this year, the two sides plan to organize negotiation on a new agreement on investment encouragement and protection. The two countries will also continue to carry out effectively the project on bilateral trade development for the 2008-2015.
At the meeting, the two Deputy Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the meeting’s minute, an agreement on pilot implementation of Vietnamese Government-financed projects, and a deal on exploring lead and zinc ores.
As part of his visit to Laos , Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 11 made a tour of the Luang Prabang Senior High School, which is under construction as a gift of former Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, to Luang Prabang province.
Also the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Phuc visited the Royal Palace and Phanom village, which specializes in producing traditional brocade and silver products./.