Sister village relationship between villages on both sides of the border.

(Baonghean.vn) - On April 8th, a ceremony was held in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, Nghe An province to establish a fraternal relationship between two border villages of Vietnam and Laos: Huoi Moi 2 village in Tri Le commune and Den Din village, Phan Thoong cluster, Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province (Laos).

The twinning of villages aims to strengthen the long-standing and sustainable traditional friendship and solidarity between the people on both sides of the border, working together to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing Vietnam-Laos border. Through this twinning, efforts can be made to effectively disseminate information and mobilize the people to properly implement the Vietnam-Laos Border Agreement and Regulations; to coordinate in resolving arising issues related to the border; to support and assist each other in economic, cultural, and social development; to build and protect the border line and markers; and to maintain the territorial sovereignty of each side.

Vietnamese and Lao officials attend the ceremony to establish a fraternal relationship.

At the fraternity ceremony, the village chiefs of the two Vietnamese and Lao villages signed a commitment to promote and encourage people to protect the integrity of the border line, border markers, and boundary signs; not to construct structures that alter the flow of rivers and streams on both sides of the border; to strictly abide by regulations on border crossings, not to encroach on land or settle illegally, not to cause fires or explosions, and not to cultivate fields within the border zone of each side; not to cross the border to exploit forest, mineral, and other resources on both sides of the border; not to participate in harboring or concealing illegal hunters; not to discharge toxic substances that pollute the environment; not to participate in illegal religious propaganda; not to participate in trading or concealing, or guiding human traffickers and other criminals; not to participate in smuggling, illegal trafficking of narcotics, weapons, explosives, harmful cultural products, and other prohibited goods. Each family and individual has the responsibility to promptly report to the village head, commune/hamlet chief, commune/hamlet authorities, and border guard/border police stations of both sides any acts that violate the territorial sovereignty and national interests of each country.

To date, in Nghe An province, which borders the provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, and Bolikhamsai in Laos, 13 pairs of villages have established sister-village relationships.

Text and photos:Le Thach