Leaders of Vietnam’s central Thanh Hoa province and Huaphan province ofLaos met on March 29 to review last year’s cooperation results and signan agreement on cooperation for 2012.

Under theagreement, this year the two provinces will organise a number ofcultural exchange activities marking the 50 th anniversary ofVietnam-Laos diplomatic ties (1962-2012) and 35 years of the signing ofthe Vietnam-Lao Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (1977-2012).

The two localities will create favourable conditions for theirindividuals, organisations and economic sectors to expand cooperationprojects and goods exchange activities serving both sides’socio-economic development.

Thanh Hoa pledged totrain more university and college students for Huaphan while the Laoprovince will help train Thanh Hoa officials in Lao language.

The two sides will promote Thanh Hoa-Huaphan tours to attracttourists from third countries who go through the Na Meo-Nam Xoiinternational border gate.

The two sides alsoagreed on measures to strengthen cooperation in the security and defencesector, especially in fighting cross-border crimes, as well as continueworking together in searching and repatriating the remains ofVietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who died in Laos.

This year, Thanh Hoa will provide 15 billion VND for Huaphan to build its politics and public administration school.

Two-way trade through border gates between Thanh Hoa and Huaphanprovinces exceeded 9.2 million USD in 2011. Thanh Hoa province trained67 university and college students from Huaphan and provided freemedical check-ups and treatment for over 1,500 people in the Laoprovince.-VNA