Vietnam - Laos Border Guard Forces strengthen cooperation to ensure border security

Over the past years, the leaders of Vietnam and Laos have highly appreciated the results of coordination between the two countries' forces in border management and protection; contributing to maintaining sovereignty , unity, territorial integrity, ensuring security, order and social safety in border areas; creating favorable conditions for people, organizations, trade activities, economic development, building a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development between the two countries.

The highlights showing the close coordination and direction of the two forces are: Directing the successful organization of a joint exercise to prevent illegal migration and illegal exit across the border between the Son La Provincial Border Guard and the Luang Prabang Provincial Military Command in May 2023 in Son La Province, Vietnam; the Border Guard Young Officers Exchange Program between the Border Guard Commands of Son La and Thanh Hoa provinces and the Military Command in March 2023 in Houaphan Province, Laos; the second Vietnam - Laos Border Guard Young Officers Exchange Program at the Command level in June 2023 in Ha Tinh Province, leaving many good impressions, with profound traditional educational value about the mutual assistance of the two countries through historical periods.

At the 2023 Annual Talks between the Border Guard Department, General Staff of the Lao People's Army and the Border Guard Command, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, held on October 24, in Luang Prabang, Northern Laos, the two sides agreed that in the coming time, they will continue to seriously and effectively implement the Border Cooperation Agreement between the Border Guard Command, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and the Border Guard Department, General Staff of the Lao People's Army, signed on October 16, 2018; signed legal documents on the border between Vietnam and Laos; common perceptions reached between senior leaders of the two countries and the two armies; strengthen coordination in border management and protection, organize bilateral patrols to detect, prevent and stop acts of encroachment, changes to the border line, the system of national border markers and other acts violating the law on national borders.

The talks were chaired by Major General Siphan Phoutthavong, Director of the Border Guard Department, General Staff of the Lao People's Army, and Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai, Commander of the Border Guard, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam. Photo: Internet.

At the end of the talks, the heads of the two delegations signed the Border Cooperation Protocol between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Lao Ministry of National Defense to serve as a basis for reporting to the Ministers of National Defense of Vietnam and Laos for signing in the coming time; and the Minutes of the 2023 talks between the Vietnam Border Guard Command and the Lao Border Guard Department.

On this occasion, the delegation of the Vietnam Border Guard Command visited and worked with the Military Command of Luang Prabang Province, Laos. Welcoming the delegation, Major General Vi-liem Vong-phi-san, Commander of the Luang Prabang Provincial Military Command, reported to the delegation on some outstanding results of the unit in performing the task of ensuring national defense, security and coordinating the management and protection of the border with the Border Guard Commands of Dien Bien and Son La provinces (Vietnam).

Delegation of the Vietnam Border Guard Command visited and worked with the Military Command of Luang Prabang province, Laos. Photo: Internet.

Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai suggested that the Luang Prabang Provincial Military Command continue to coordinate with the Border Guard Commands of Dien Bien and Son La provinces (Vietnam) in managing and protecting the border, protecting the border line, border markers, border markers, border signs, border sight lines and border works; contributing to maintaining sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, ensuring security, order and social safety in the border area; creating favorable conditions for trade activities, economic development, building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border between the two countries./.

Bich Huong