Vietnam-Laos: Twinning relation model contributes to special friendship
The model of twinning relations between Vietnam-Laos villages partly contributes to consolidate the special friendship of the two countries.
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| The close relationship between Vietnam and Laos is shown from central to local levels. (Photo: Laodong) |
During the long history of national construction and protection in Vietnam and Laos, when glocious victories went along with sacrifices and losses, many touching stories have been repeatedly told as symbols of friendship and solidarity between the two countries.
15 years of twinning and strengthening relations
To trail the special traditional relationship between the two countries, in 2007, the villages of Ka Tieng, (Huong Viet commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province of Vietnam) and A Via and La Co (Se Pon district, Savannakhet province of Laos) held a ceremony to sign aggremeent of sister villages with the consensus of all households.
The sister village model not only reflects the approval from the senior leaders but also demonstrates the aspirations of the people at the localities and further tightens the solidarity of the villages of the two sides. Through the process, people on the two sides help each other in economic development, environmental protection; preserve and promote national cultural identities; firmly protect the territorial sovereignty and security of border villages; keep peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development in border areas.
According to Chairman of Huong Hoa District People's Committee Dang Trong Van, a number of positive achievements have been reached during the past 15 years of village twinning. The sister villages regularly organize people-to-people exchanges to learn about economic development models and discover beautiful landscapes of the two sides... As a result, those activities further consolidate the special friendship between the two nations.
The two sides hold meetings and exchange information quarterly, and once every 5 years organize conference to review the implementation of the sister village model between the localities.
In particular, the two sides coordinate to hold communications and traing courses on national laws, territorial sovereignty, national consciousness and national borders for the local people so that they can comply strictly with each country’s laws and regulations, know clealy about the significance of the increasing and upgrading Vietnam-Laos border markers. 780 people have joined the special forces to patrol and protect the national boundary and boder markers. A variety of activities has been orginized to disseminate knowledge about agriculture, disease prevention, etc.
Such of the activities as fighting against entry and exit, border crossing, illegal propagation of religion, encroachment on farming, illegal residence, smuggling, illegal cross-border trade in prohibited goods, illegal exploitation of forest and natural products, hunting rare wild animals; burning in the border belt area; propagandizing against the COVID-19... were committed by the people, well followed and implemented. Moreover, the villagers also provide for each other many valuable sources of information to fight against activities related to the crime of trafficking in drugs, explosives, inflammables, crimes of public disorder, theft of citizens' property, etc.
The people of A Via village were supported by the ones of Ka Tieng village in exchanging production experiences, plants and animals, guidance on disease prevention, and experience in farming, applying scientific and technical advances to production; adding values to turn the products into exchangeable goods on the market. As a result, it has increased income for many villagers, contributing to improving the lives of people in border villages.
Chairman of Huong Hoa District People's Committee Dang Trong Van said that over the years, Quang Tri province and Huong Hoa district have always been interested in cooperation with Lao provinces and districts with border sharing. District leaders of Huong Hoa and Sepon often visit to solve problems of mutual concern; create favorable conditions for villagers on both sides to exchange goods; contribute to serve the foreign economic development policy; effectively coordinate in crime prevention and combat; consolidate the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Laos.
At the conference on review of 15 years of twinning of residential clusters on August 10, Mr. Bun Sung Say Nha Vong, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the Inspection Committee, Chief Inspector of Sepon District said that through the regulation of twinning, the commitment of households living on both sides has solved problems arising from real life and the relating border issues. Since then, both have exchanged learning experiences, helped each other to develop production, raised awareness and abolished outdated customs....
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| Delegates in the conference reviewing 15 years of twin border residential cluster between Ka Tieng village, Huong Viet commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province (Vietnam) and A Via village, La Co village cluster, Se Pon district, Savannakhet province (Laos). (Photo: Bien Gioi) |
Three main quests
Standing Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee Ha Sy Dong proudly said that in such a model of village twinning, people in border areas help each other in economic development, hunger eradication and sustainable poverty reduction. "This is a strategic issue in protecting the national border", said Ha Sy Dong.
The authority of Quang Tri province has directed its localities to well implement the twinning relationship with neighboring villages of Laos, actively exchanging information, mutual supporting to develop economy, culture, society, protecting security, border sovereignty and boundary markers of each country; build good models and creative ways to support each other eliminate hunger and reduce poverty; annually evaluate the situation and draw experiences in twinning activities, thereby developing more and more effective programs and implementation plans.
The achievement in the past 15 years of the two villages are remarkable and proud, but only the first step in the process of jointly developing a strong economy and culture.
In the complicated situation, certain counter elements continue inciting against the Party and State to damage the special brotherly relationship between the two countries. Especially, activities taking advantage of ethnicity, religion, drug crimes, smuggling, and commercial fraud have raised many problems of security at border areas, border gates, etc. The province's authority hopes that the two localities will continue well promoting bilateral relations.
Firstly, regularly coordinate to promote the communications and spreading information on the Party's guidelines, the legal documents and policies of the States; especially the Decree on border lines and national markers for the villagers to strictly observe.
Especially, continuing to raise awareness for young people to understand cultural traditions, the friendly relationship between the two countries, the close relationship between the villages along the border, thereby building a sense of responsibility in protecting and building a peaceful and friendly border.
Second, actively exchanging information; supporting each other in economic, cultural and social development; participating in the protection of border security and markers of each country.
Finally, actively struggling and resolutely preventing counter elements from inciting and taking advantage of ethnic and religious issues to divide the solidarity between the two villages in particular and the Vietnam-Laos relationship in general.
(Source: WVR)
