Remembering the time when Vietnamese-Lao soldiers 'bitten rice grains in half, broke vegetable stalks in half'

General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith: The Lao Party, State and people expressed their gratitude for the great contributions and sacrifices of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts.

On the morning of December 20, in Hanoi, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Bounnhang Vorachith met and had a friendly talk with former volunteer soldiers, Vietnamese experts in Laos, and the young generation of Vietnam and Lao students studying in Vietnam.

Lao General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith met and talked with former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos, as well as the young generation of Vietnamese and Lao students studying in Vietnam.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam and Laos; Vietnamese heroic mothers, those whose husbands and children fought side by side with the Lao army and people during the years and months of fighting against the common enemy; 260 delegates representing tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts in Laos from many provinces, and more than 250 young people representing the younger generations of the two countries attended the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith reviewed the tradition of special relations between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, expressing pride and emotion for the great contributions of revolutionary soldiers of the two countries, recalling impressive images in history where soldiers of Laos and Vietnam shared the same trench, always shared joys and sorrows, supported and helped each other, bitten a grain of rice in half, broke a piece of vegetable in half, sacrificed for each other to bring happiness to the country as it is today.

“During a period of fierce, arduous fighting filled with sacrifice, tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, some of whom were under 20 years old, but with an enthusiastic spirit, together shouldered their backpacks and crossed the majestic Truong Son mountain range to our country Laos to fulfill their international duty, fighting together with the Lao army and people against the old colonialists and the new imperialists.

On this occasion, the Lao Party, State and people would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for the great contributions and noble sacrifices of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in the revolutionary cause of the Lao people. We know that countless Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts have sacrificed their lives and blood on Lao soil, and many of them have not yet had their remains found to return to their beloved homeland of Vietnam," General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith stated.

Delegates representing tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts in Laos attended the meeting.

General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith said that most of the battlefields on Lao land bear the mark of soldiers from Laos and Vietnam, fighting together, making achievements from a trench, gradually winning and completely winning with regaining power, issuing the Declaration of Establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on December 2, 1975.

Reviewing the tradition of fighting alliance and mutual assistance between the armies and people of Laos and Vietnam, helping the young generation of the two countries understand the value of peace, the value of national independence won with the sweat and blood of many people, thereby having the responsibility to protect and preserve this rare friendship, helping each other develop their countries.

“We will continue to work with the Party, State and people of Vietnam to protect and preserve this special relationship as the apple of our eyes, becoming a legacy passed on to future generations. We always remember the teachings of the great President Ho Chi Minh: “If we love each other, we can climb any mountain/cross any river/cross any bridge. Vietnam and Laos, our two countries, have a deep love for the two countries of Hong Ha and Cuu Long”, General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith affirmed.

On behalf of the Lao Party, State and people, General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith expressed his sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the Party, State and people of Vietnam for always providing valuable, great, effective and timely support and assistance to the Lao revolutionary cause during the period of national liberation struggle, for national independence as well as during the period of national defense and construction today.

Performing arts at the meeting.

Major General Huynh Dac Huong, former Head of the Vietnamese Military Expert Delegation to Laos, representing thousands of Vietnamese experts and volunteer soldiers in Laos, spoke, recalling the years when the two countries' armies shared the same trenches, lived and died together, shared the joys and sorrows, fought bravely and won, contributing to the completion of the liberation struggle of the two peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

Major General Huynh Dac Huong stated that the Vietnamese volunteer army and the Vietnam - Laos Fighting Alliance have become a very important part in the history of the special relationship between Vietnam - Laos; Laos - Vietnam. This special relationship was founded by the great President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and beloved President Suphanuvong, and has become a priceless asset of the two peoples, a valuable resource and an important factor ensuring the success of each country's revolutionary cause. He affirmed that he will continue to contribute to preserving and developing this relationship, as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said: "No matter how difficult or arduous, we are willing to preserve and protect the Vietnam - Laos relationship, like preserving the pupil of our eye, so that the Vietnam - Laos relationship will forever be stronger than mountains and rivers".

Speaking at the meeting, representing the young generation of Vietnam, Le Thi Hong Nhung expressed her pride and admiration for the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos. The young generation of the two countries vows to inherit the traditions of their predecessors, stand shoulder to shoulder, stick together in the front of building and defending the country, and continue to write glorious pages of history about the fine traditions and special relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

At the meeting, the General Secretary and President of Laos and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong presented gifts to heroic Vietnamese mothers whose children died in Laos.

General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visit the photo exhibition

Previously, General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the photo exhibition on the Vietnam-Laos Special Solidarity./.