Keep the border region secure.

(Baonghean) - In recent years, the Nghe An Border Guard has implemented practical and concrete measures to deepen and strengthen border diplomacy in the area, achieving good results. This has actively contributed to consolidating and enhancing the comprehensive strategic cooperation and friendship between the two Parties and States of Vietnam and Laos, following the motto of solidarity, friendship, cooperation, and mutual development.

We recently participated in a joint patrol between two border protection units: Thong Thu Border Guard Post (Que Phong) and the 216th Company of the Hua Phan Provincial Military Command (Laos). Traversing the dense forest, the joint patrol team arrived at border marker 364. The solemn and sacred ceremony of saluting the marker eased the fatigue of the joint patrol. Forces from both sides inspected border markers and boundary signs, reminded the people in the border area to comply with regulations on entry and exit, and raised awareness and responsibility for protecting the shared border and boundary markers of the two countries.

Captain Chan Da Vone, Political Officer of Company 216, Hua Phan Provincial Military Command (Laos), stated: Over the past period, the forces of Laos and Vietnam have strengthened coordination, especially after the signing of the fraternal agreement. Company 216 and the Vietnamese Border Guard have cooperated in many areas, most notably regularly exchanging information and organizing bilateral patrols and inspections to protect the border and border markers. This has enabled them to promptly detect and handle situations occurring on the border, contributing to the protection of a peaceful, friendly, and cooperative border for mutual development.

The Thong Thu Border Guard Station (Que Phong) cooperates with the Border Guard of neighboring Laos to patrol and protect the border.

More than a year ago, in Ky Son district, the Nam Can International Border Gate Border Guard Station in Nghe An (Vietnam) and Police Station 31 (Laos) held a ceremony to establish a fraternal relationship between the border guard station and the border protection unit of Laos. This is the only such ceremony between a border guard station and the police force of Laos along the Vietnam-Laos border in Nghe An province. This event has contributed to opening a new phase for the Nghe An Border Guard and the border protection forces of Laos to continue to cooperate better in protecting the sovereignty and security of each country's border, contributing to building solidarity, friendship, and comprehensive strategic cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Dai, Political Officer of the Nam Can International Border Gate Border Guard Station, said: With the signing of this fraternal relationship, both sides have the opportunity to support and facilitate smooth entry and exit, and cross the border between the two countries; Closely coordinate in crime prevention and control at border gates and regularly exchange knowledge and learn from each other to build a peaceful and friendly border.

Along the Vietnam-Laos border, the Nghe An Border Guard Command has successfully completed the signing of fraternal agreements between 6 out of 6 border guard posts and their counterparts in Laos. These agreements represent not only a significant step in building and strengthening trust between the border protection forces of Vietnam and Laos, but also a new success in border guard diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. The signing of these agreements between border guard posts in Nghe An province and border protection units in Laos is of paramount importance in crime prevention, maintaining security and social order along the border, and contributing to the peaceful, friendly, and cooperative development of the two countries. The units under the Nghe An Border Guard Command have also coordinated with functional border protection forces of neighboring Laos, promoting exchange activities, seminars, organizing bilateral patrols, inter-agency patrols, and effectively coordinating in the fight against and prevention of various types of crimes and border security violations, while maintaining good border guard diplomatic relations.

Simultaneously, measures to combat various types of crime in the border area have been strengthened. Thanks to this coordination, both sides have prevented many law violations, successfully dismantled many large and dangerous criminal networks and groups, contributing to the protection of security and order on the border of each country. For example, on May 10, 2014, the Thong Thu Border Guard Post, in coordination with the Sam To District Police, Hua Phan Province (Laos), successfully apprehended three individuals transporting drugs along with the seized evidence. The arrested individuals were Xong Vu (born in 1984), Ly Phenh Mua (born in 1986), and De Ho (born in 1995, all residing in Vieng Xay District, Hua Phan Province). The seized items included 18 blocks of heroin, 2,000 synthetic drug pills, 200 USD, and a car with a Lao license plate. Previously, on May 9th, in Puc village, Nam Pay village (Sam To, Hua Phan), authorities arrested Chan Thoong Lo Chong Ho (born in 1980, residing in Nam Tay village, Sam To), seizing 16 blocks of heroin, 170 synthetic drug pills, and 10 grams of opium…

Regular and unscheduled border patrols and border protection patrols are being carried out by officers and soldiers of border guard posts along the Nghe An border in coordination with functional forces of Laos. This activity has significantly contributed to maintaining security and order in the border region and promoting socio-economic development in the border area. In particular, the close coordination between functional forces on both sides of the border, and the special solidarity, cooperation, and friendship between Vietnam and Laos, are always highly promoted in these activities, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and mutually developing Vietnam-Laos border.

Text and photos:Hai Thuong