Nghe An - Bolikhamxay position in the East-West economic corridor

(Baonghean) - A high-ranking delegation of Nghe An province led by comrade Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation recently had a working trip to Bolikhamxay province (Laos) in early August.

Strong relationship

Located in the Central region, at the waist of Laos, Bolikhamxay province has an area of ​​nearly 16,000km2 (nearly equivalent to Nghe An province), but the population is only over 290,000 people; it is located as a regional connection center on the East-West economic corridor.

To the north, it borders the capital Vientiane, Xieng Khouang, Vientiane and Xay Xom Bun provinces; to the south, it borders Khammouane province; to the east, it borders Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces of Vietnam; to the west, it borders Bung Can, Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom provinces of Thailand. Bolikhamxay province is taking advantage of its advantages to develop more and more, people's lives are being improved with the average income per capita reaching 1,982 USD by the end of 2016.

In that development process, Nghe An and Bolikhamxay identified themselves as extremely important partners, helping and complementing each other for mutual development. As early as 2012, in Vinh City, the leaders of the two provinces at that time signed the Minutes of Working Results with 8 extremely important cooperation contents.

Reviewing cooperation over the past 5 years, it shows that: Currently, there are 90 enterprises of Nghe An province investing and doing business in the Lao market, including Bolikhamxay with a total investment capital of projects of more than 200 million USD.

Leaders of Bolikhamxay province, Laos expressed their sincere feelings and warm greetings to the high-ranking delegation of Nghe An province. Photo: Thanh Duy

Bolikhamxay province has also participated in trade promotion activities in Nghe An. 5 officials, 134 students, 4 masters of Bolikhamxay province have been and are being trained in Nghe An province. The province has also helped train 9 Nghe An students at the National University of Laos.

The functional sectors and border districts of the two provinces have coordinated in the fight against and prevention of trafficking, transportation, and storage of drugs, explosives, banned goods, illegal immigration, illegal border crossings, and unregistered marriages in the border areas, contributing to ensuring security and order on the Vietnam-Laos border.

On the border line of the two provinces, two pairs of Vietnamese Border Guard stations with Lao Border Guard stations and two pairs of villages on both sides of the border have established twinning relationships. Not only cooperation in economics, education and training, but also in Party building work, activities of People's Councils, government and sectors, there are exchanges and sharing of experiences.

Promote development cooperation

Nghe An and Bolikhamxay have agreed to continue promoting cooperation in many fields with the 12-point Minutes of Working Results signed by Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh and Bolikhamxay Provincial Secretary and Governor Kong Keo Xay Song Kham at the meeting on the morning of August 2.

In particular, the two provinces agreed to create all favorable conditions according to the plan of the Lao - Vietnamese Government on the project to build the expressway from Vientiane Capital - Pak Xan (Bolykhamxay) - Thanh Thuy Border Gate (Nghe An) - Hanoi Capital.

Speaking at the meeting, Director of Nghe An Department of Transport Nguyen Hong Ky said: The Vientiane - Hanoi expressway has 7 sections; of which the Lao side has 4 sections including: Vientiane - Pac Xan - Vieng Thong - Nam On - Vietnam border section Thanh Thuy border gate.

On the Vietnamese side, there are 3 sections: Thanh Thuy - Ho Chi Minh Road - Vinh City - Hanoi. "To build this route, after the two governments of Vietnam and Laos have agreed, Japan is very interested in providing capital. Through the talks, the two heads of delegations proposed to the two governments to focus on arranging counterpart funds" - Mr. Nguyen Hong Ky said.

At the same time, he also analyzed that if this route is completed, it will be very beneficial for transportation from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean when connecting from Myanmar to Northeast Thailand, Laos to Cua Lo port, Nghe An because this is the shortest route and has favorable terrain.

Bolikhamxay in central Laos has a very important connection position in the region, so the construction of the Vientiane - Hanoi expressway will create great conditions for this locality to develop. Photo: Thanh Duy

The promotion of the construction of the Vientiane - Hanoi expressway with a route passing through Thanh Thuy border gate in Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An is an issue that Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh is very interested in and discussed in meetings, contacts and talks with leaders of Bolikhamxay province.

“We hope that Nghe An will have many opportunities to cooperate with Laos when the highway is completed. At that time, Lao goods will be able to reach Vietnam’s international seaports quickly, and the exchange of businesses and people of the two countries will be more convenient,” said Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh.

Regarding this content, at the meeting, Secretary and Governor of Bolikhamxay Province Kong Keo Xay Song Kham highly agreed and said that the provincial leaders have been working with relevant ministries and the Lao Government to implement the project as soon as possible.

“In the near future, we will build the Friendship Bridge connecting with Bung Can province of Thailand across the Mekong River. Therefore, when the expressway is completed, combined with Friendship Bridge 5, it will create great convenience for trade” - Secretary and Governor of Bolikhamxay province assessed.

Bolikhamxay province also agreed to soon issue a decision to upgrade Thoong Phi La Checkpoint Station in Xay Cham Phon district, Bolikhamxay province opposite Cao Veu village, Phuc Son commune, Anh Son district, Nghe An into a secondary border gate.

Along with the above contents, the two provinces agreed to promote cooperation on many issues in areas such as: Party building, government building, state management apparatus building; increasing talks and experience exchange on organization and operation of People's Councils at all levels; strengthening management and protection of national border markers and security and order in border areas; cooperation in the fields of health, education, etc.

Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh listens to an introduction about Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Plant in Bolikhan District, Bolykhamxay Province. Photo: Thanh Duy

The visit of the high-ranking delegation of Nghe An province led by Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Dac Vinh to Bolikhamxay province, Laos was a great success, once again affirming the special and loyal friendship between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos in general, Nghe An and Bolikhamxay in particular; at the same time opening a new phase of promising cooperation between the two localities.

Thanh Duy