Official training programs held by Hanoi and Vientiane will help strengthen ties between the two nations, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen said today (August 8).

Officials from Hanoi and Vientiane in a group photo. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

In a meeting with Khamma Sengmyxay, member of the Standing Committee of the Vientiane Municipal Party Committee and Head of the Vientiane Organization Department, she said she hoped the friendship between Vietnam and Laos would continue to grow.

"Throughout history, the relationship between Vietnam and Laos has grown and been nurtured. It is now embodied in the cooperation between the two governments, two parties, two peoples and two capitals," said Deputy Secretary Tuyen.

Khamma, who led a Lao delegation to attend the training program in Hanoi, said they were grateful for Hanoi's support during the training program.

He said the lessons from Hanoi and other places were practical and valuable and could be applied to improve Vientiane's modus operandi and better serve its people.

Khamma pledged to contribute to promoting and improving the friendly and comprehensive relations between the two Parties, two governments and two capitals.

In the dynamic first half of 2024, Hanoi's economy grew by 6%, outpacing 2023. State revenues exceeded VND252 trillion (US$10 billion), reaching 62% of the annual target and representing an annual increase of 13%. Domestic revenue dominated, accounting for more than 94% of total revenue, Tuyen said.

Total investment in social development is more than 9.4%, higher than the same period in 2023. Hanoi also focuses on both socio-economic and cultural development. Hanoi has invested in the preservation and restoration of more than 5,000 historical relics. The city's education sector ranks first in the country. In investing in infrastructure to connect the capital region, Hanoi has implemented the Capital Region Ring Road 4 project and parallel roads to improve connectivity with provinces and cities, Tuyen told the Lao guests.

On June 28, 2024, the National Assembly approved the amended Law on the Capital, which will come into force on January 1, 2025. National legislators also discussed the two master plans for the general development of the capital until 2065, which will shape urban development and create two new satellite cities.