Hanoi cherishes its special relations with Laos in general and Vientiane in particular, which features prominently in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung (l) and Vietnam’s Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung (r).

This is the first foreign trip ofSecretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung since he took office and the first of the Hanoi authorities after a long period of disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dung stressed the view during a visit to the Vietnam Embassy in Laos on April 5.

According to Dung, in addition to ongoing cooperation in infrastructure development and social welfare, Hanoi and Vientiane have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the relations in the 2022-2025 period.

“This is a major step to form a legal framework for cooperation between Hanoi and Vientiane in the new phase, marking the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 45^th anniversary of the signing of Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty,” Dung said.

At the embassy, Dung also briefed its staff on the socio-economic situation of Hanoi, which has now shifted its Covid-19 strategy to safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic.

He informed that 99.3% of the total infection cases in Hanoi are mild or asymptomatic, which are being treated at home.

As of the present, 99.8% of the people from 12 years of age have been vaccinated with two shots, and   87.1% of locals from 18 years of age received the booster injection.

“Hanoi is planning to vaccinate children aged 5-11 once the vaccines are available,” he added.

The Hanoi Party chief at Lao-Viet Bank.

In the first quarter of 2022, Hanoi’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP)  expanded by 5.83% year on year, higher than the national average of 5.03%.

Other key economic indicators, including budget revenue, exports, and social investment capital, have improved compared to the same period of last year, Dung noted.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung said the embassy staff is committed to fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Party, State, and People.

In the coming time, Hung expected the embassy would continue its close cooperation with Hanoi and Vientiane in realizing the MoU for the 2022-2025 period for the benefit of the two cities.

On the same day, Hanoi’s high-level delegation also visited the Lao-Viet Bank (LVB), the first Vietnamese bank to be established in Laos in 1999. After 23 years of operation, the bank has been among the top three largest commercial banks in Laos.

Dung expected the bank to continue expanding its operation and serve as the bridge for Vietnamese companies to further invest in Laos and those from Laos to do business in Vietnam, in turn contributing to the strong and comprehensive Vietnam-Laos friendship.