The December 17 meeting, themed “Samneau base – symbol of Vietnam-Laos special solidarity and combating alliance”, also saw the attendance of To Huy Rua, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Head of the CPVCC’s Commission of Information and Education.

Addressing the event, Mr Rua said he was deeply moved when returning to Samneau, which had borne witness the two countries’ resistance wars for independence and freedom.

On behalf of the Lao side, Phandouangchith Vongsa, member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Head of the LPRP CC’s Commission of Information and Training recalled the wholehearted and active support and assistance given by the Vietnamese Party, State and people in general and Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in particular to the Lao people’s past struggle for national liberation and their present cause of national construction. He also affirmed the Lao Party, State and people’s determination to consolidate and preserve the special relationship between the two countries.

The participants paid a minute’s silence in honour of their comrades who had sacrificed their lives during the war time.

Also the same day, Houaphan province hosted a conference to promote investment in the four northern provinces of Laos.

On the occasion, the Lao Government handed an investment licence to Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai Joint Stock Company to plant 10,000 ha of rubber trees in southern Laos.