HCM City (VNA) – Politburo member and Secretary ofthe Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan held talks with Politburomember of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Secretary and Governor ofVientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune on June 15 to discuss progress ofcooperation agreement signed between the two cities in 2017.

Nhan wished that both sides would continue promoting informationsharing to foster Ho Chi Minh City – Vientiane, and Vietnam – Laos ties,towards the 130th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, the 100th birthanniversary of President Kaysone Phomvihane and the 60th anniversary of TruongSon Trail.

He believed that Party Committee, authorities and people ofVientiane will continue reaping greater achievements in national development.

The host suggested that the two cities should set cleargoals and gear towards more substantial ties, especially in economy.

Ho Chi Minh City will do its best to make practicalcontributions to traditional friendship and special solidarity between the twonations, he said.

Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, for his part, thanked the city’sleaders for creating favourable conditions for Party Committee and authoritiesof Vientiane to share experience in Party and administration building, andlocal socio-economic development.

He said Vientiane is facing challenges in development,especially drug evil, fiscal deficit and plots by hostile forces. Therefore,his visit aims to seek collaboration in many fields, thus creating a drivingforce for the development of the two cities.

Both sides agreed to facilitate all-level visits, step upfinance-taxation projects, expand trade and investment promotion, and enhancejoint work across agriculture and rural development, including animal husbandryand cow meat processing.

They vowed to direct agencies and firms to share experiencein fields of shared concern, and offer all possible support for Ho Chi MinhCity’s District 5 and Vientiane’s Sikhottabong district to partnertogether.-VNA