PM Dũng heads for the opening of regional games

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng visits the construction site of the 25th SEA Games athlete village which is financed by Việt Nam’s Hoàng Anh Gia Lai Group, Vientiane, November 25, 2008

The SEA Games 2009 draws the participation of 4,200 athletes from all eleven Southeast Asian countries to compete for 379 sets of medals in 25 subjects.

During his stay in Laos, the Vietnamese PM plans to meet with Lao leaders to discuss ways to strengthen the comprehensive ties and special solidarity between Việt Nam and Laos.

The bilateral relationship is now flourishing through the regular exchange of high-ranking visits, and the Agreement on economic, cultural, scientific, and technical cooperation 2009. Since 2006, all top leaders of the two countries have visited the other country.

Regarding border issues, the two sides are now deploying the Project on planting more landmarks along their common border line, and another project on border area development and stabilization as well as management of entry/exit of their citizens.

The two neighbors expect to push their two-way trade turnover to US $1 billion next year, US $2 billion in 2015 and US $5 billion in 2020.

In January 2009, the two countries signed an agreement on export-import tax preferences in which they pledged to continue the tax exemptions and reductions of 0-50% on their respective commodities.

Việt Nam is among the three biggest investors in Laos. Education projects account for 50% of Việt Nam’s total investment capital there.

In addition, Việt Nam and Laos are also engaging in different cooperation mechanisms like the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), and the Việt Nam-Laos-Cambodia Development Triangle.

By Hải Minh