Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu spoke at the conference to disseminate policies and laws for village chiefs of Vietnam-Laos border. (Photo: nghean.gov.vn)

On December 6, talking to the press on the occasion of a conference to disseminate knowledge on policies and laws related to the Vietnam-Laos border in the central province of Nghe An, the Deputy Foreign Minister underlined that residents in border areas of both countries have made significant contributions to border management.

While carrying out daily activities, border residents monitor the local situation and inform relevant forces, helping maintain good management of the border and timely stop law violations.

Deputy Foreign Minister Vu highlighted the close ties between border localities of Vietnam and Laos. More than 100 clusters of villages in both countries have established twin relations, which enables them to not only promote the friendship and exchange across the border but also keep good monitoring of the border line and security and social order.

In the time ahead, the first and foremost task is to continue with dissemination work to raise people’s awareness about the importance of border management for socio-economic development and defence-security, the Deputy Minister said.

He also stressed the need to strengthen coordination between relevant forces and residents, as well as between residents on the two sides of the border line, in border management and the protection of border markers.

Another important task is to promote trade exchange across the border, invest in upgrading border gates and infrastructure to facilitate production, business activities and goods exchange in border areas of both countries, thus contributing to not only boosting socio-economic development in each country but also strengthening the friendship and solidarity between the two countries, according to Deputy Minister Vu.

Conference to disseminate knowledge on policies and laws for village chiefs of Vietnam-Laos border. (Photo: WVR)

He stressed the importance of the conference on disseminating laws and policies on the border among outstanding village chiefs in 20 border provinces of Vietnam and Laos, saying that it will help the village chiefs and through them villagers to do better in protecting the border line and border markers.

Deputy Minister Vu also said the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai and Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith along with many high-ranking officials at the conference reflects the recognition of the contribution of border residents in general and village chiefs in particular to border management work.