Strengthening relations with Quang Nam

Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province Le Van Dung and Secretary and Governor of Sekong province Lechlay Sivilay signed a cooperation agreement for the period 2024-2026. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

Mr. Lechlay Sivilay, Central Committee member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Secretary and Governor of Sekong Province, said that Quang Nam's support for Sekong in recent times has not only been material. It is also a noble sentiment, demonstrating the spirit of sharing, helping, and further fostering the special friendship and solidarity, promoting the development of Sekong as well as other southern provinces of Laos.

“Many meaningful public works projects have been started and handed over, helping Sekong to have increasingly better conditions for education and training, healthcare, and economic development for its people. Especially noteworthy are the housing and office buildings for border protection forces…” - Mr. Lechlay Sivilay shared.

Promoting cooperation

The results of implementing the Memorandum of Cooperation between Quang Nam and Sekong provinces since the 2022 Conference show that cooperation and exchange activities between the two provinces have continuously developed in various fields, achieving many important results. This has contributed to socio-economic development, ensured national defense and security, and opened up many new opportunities in cooperative relations between the two provinces.

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We are deeply aware that, at every step of Quang Nam's development, there has been encouragement, sharing, and active support from the Party Committee, government, and people of our sister province, Sekong. With the long-standing tradition of special relations between the Party Committees, governments, and people of the two provinces, I believe that the cooperative relationship between the two provinces will continue to be strengthened, developed strongly, comprehensively, and increasingly in-depth, contributing to fostering the friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States, and peoples of Vietnam and Laos in general, and between Quang Nam and Sekong provinces in particular.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam Province, Le Van Dung

Besides maintaining visits and working sessions to promote and further strengthen cooperative relations between the two provinces, Quang Nam and Sekong have recently coordinated to seriously implement the Protocol on the Vietnam-Laos border line and border markers, and the Agreement on the Regulations for managing the border and land border gates between Vietnam and Laos.

In particular, the two sides successfully held a meeting of the Border Affairs Steering Committee, coordinating closely and promptly resolving issues arising in the border area.

Focus on coordinating and resolving issues promptly, ensuring compliance with procedures and regulations, regarding the construction of high-voltage power poles in the border area between the two provinces, in order to facilitate electricity trading between the two countries through the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc International Border Gate.

Over the past period, Quang Nam has supported Sekong with many meaningful projects, helping the sister city to develop further. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, Le Van Dung, stated that the friendly cooperation activities between Quang Nam and Sekong in recent times are a testament to the solidarity and close ties between the two localities. This is considered a foundation for the common prosperous development between Quang Nam and Sekong in particular, and Vietnam and Laos in general, in accordance with the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Kaysone Phomvihane.

Based on this spirit of solidarity, both sides have seriously and effectively implemented cooperation in the fields of defense and security, economy and trade, education and training, health, etc., contributing to promoting socio-economic development and maintaining national defense and security in the border region.

However, the cooperation process between the two provinces still faces many limitations. Specifically, while cooperation in economics, trade, and investment has seen many positive developments and achieved some important results, it is still not commensurate with the potential, strengths, and special relationship between the two provinces.

“Quang Nam businesses investing in Sekong are still very few and not truly effective. The transportation infrastructure connecting the two provinces via the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc international border gate is still limited. National Highway 14D from the Nam Giang border gate to the Ho Chi Minh Highway section at Ben Giang is severely degraded, affecting trade and goods transportation between the two sides, and hindering investment and tourism attraction from businesses to Sekong and the Southern Laos region,” said Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Van Dung.

Helping each other achieve sustainable development.

According to Quang Nam Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, the two sister provinces of Quang Nam and Sekong have great potential and opportunities to develop their special relationship and deepen it further. Building on the tradition of solidarity, "Sharing a grain of salt in half, breaking a stalk of vegetable in two," through the signed agreements, the two provinces will create conditions to help each other develop, building a relationship that is increasingly strong and affectionate.

During the period 2024-2026, Quang Nam and Sekong committed to continuing to propose the upgrading of the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc border gate pair. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

To elevate the Quang Nam - Sekong relationship to a new level, Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet proposed that both sides focus on implementing more groundbreaking, vigorous, and effective cooperation in defense and security.

This includes strengthening coordination to firmly protect the national sovereignty and border security of the two provinces, preventing any forces from exploiting the border on one side to carry out disruptive activities that affect the security and order of the border on the other side.

At the same time, focus on investing in socio-economic development, improving the lives of people on both sides of the border; building the border between the two provinces into a truly peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border, for the stability and sustainability of both provinces, and protecting the revolutionary achievements of both countries.

In addition, there will be a strong focus on investing in breakthrough transportation connections between the two provinces via the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc International Border Gate and the Tay Giang - Ka Lum Border Gate.

“First and foremost, we need to focus on proposing to the central governments of both countries to invest in upgrading and expanding National Highway 14D in Quang Nam and National Highway 16B in Sekong as soon as possible. This is a crucial and decisive step in promoting cooperation in economics, trade, investment, tourism, cross-border goods transportation, and strongly connecting the economy, trade, and investment between Sekong in particular, and Southern Laos in general, with Quang Nam - Da Nang and the Central Vietnam Key Economic Zone,” emphasized Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet.

In the coming period, Quang Nam and Sekong will continue to strengthen cooperation in human resource training, professional development, political theory training, postgraduate training, Party building, financial management, and economics.

Effectively and substantively implement human resource training between the two provinces, prioritizing training quality over quantity. Based on proposals from Sekong, Quang Nam will consider continuing to support new projects and works according to the actual situation and capabilities, with the ultimate goal of sustainable and stable development of its sister province Sekong, and for the common development of both provinces.

During the period 2024-2026, both sides committed to continuing to strengthen cooperation and comprehensive support between the two provinces; closely coordinating in the implementation of the Protocol on the Vietnam-Laos border and border markers, and the Agreement on the Regulations for Border Management and Land Border Gates between Vietnam and Laos; and being responsible for reporting and proposing to the Governments of both countries to soon invest in upgrading and expanding National Highway 14D from Nam Giang International Border Gate to the Ho Chi Minh Highway section at Ben Giang and National Highway 16B from Dak Ta Ooc International Border Gate to the center of Sekong province.

Furthermore, the two provinces will strengthen cooperation in economics, trade, tourism, and investment; focus on investing in and improving infrastructure at the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc international border gate economic zone; and create favorable conditions for the sectors and localities of the two provinces to implement cooperation programs that have been agreed upon by both provinces...

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/dua-quan-he-quang-nam-se-kong-len-tam-cao-moi-3142490.html