Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (R) receives newly-appointed Lao ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang (Photo: https://www.sggp.org.vn/)Hanoi (VNA) – ViceSecretary of Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee and Chairman of the municipalPeople’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong on July 7 received newly-appointed Lao ambassadorto Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang.
During the reception, the Vietnamese official highlighted the fruitfuldevelopment of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensivecooperation between the two countries across all fields.
He briefed the guest on HCM City’s socio-economic development and the impact ofthe COVID-19 pandemic on the city, expressing his hope that after the recenttalks between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart ThonglounSisoulith in Hanoi, HCM City will soon be able to resume cooperation with Laolocalities after the two countries successfully control the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phong said HCM City will implement more cooperative programmes with Laolocalities, including a project to improve the quality of beef cattle herdsin Vientiane, and organising a trade and tourism fair.
The city’s Department of Foreign Affairs is also preparing cooperation programmeswith Laos in the 2021-2025, especially with its twinned localities, such as Champasak and Vientiane, headded.
Phong said he hopes in his term in Vietnam, the Lao diplomat will do his utmostto further strengthen the long-lasting relationship between the two countries.
For his part, the Lao ambassador expressed his joy at the two countries’success in controlling the pandemic, and informed the guest that the two countriesare continuing to implement cooperation programmes within the framework of the Laos-VietnamInter-governmental Committee, including joint efforts to respond to COVID-19and re-open border gates and flights between the two nations as soon aspossible.
The same day, the HCM City leader also hosted a reception for outgoing HungarianConsul General in HCM City Baloghdi Tibor, during which he praised the guestfor his contributions to promoting cooperation between the Vietnamese localityand Hungary in terms of trade, investment, education.
Phong expressed his hope that the two sides will further expand cooperation inthe fields of health, education, water treatment, culture, and people-to-peopleexchange./.
VNA
