The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung, head of the Vietnam-Laos Sub-Committee, and the Lao delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, head of the Laos-Vietnam Sub-Committee. 

The delegates discussed a project to improve the quality and efficiency of education and the development of human resources between Vietnam and Laos and assessed Vietnam’s investment management and promotion in Laos.

They praised the close cooperation shown between their ministries, sectors and localities in implementing the signed agreements, which has helped to strengthen the special relationship between the two countries.

Between January-June, both Vietnam and Laos received an additional 75 students besides the number of scholarships committed to in the 2009 agreement. Vietnamese ministries, sectors, localities and businesses all ran training courses for Laos.

Both countries’ ministries and agencies worked closely when training Lao athletes, providing expertise and supplying equipment for the 25^th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) to be held in Laos later this year.  

In the reviewed period, export turnover between Vietnam and Laos hit US$196 million and Vietnam is now among the three largest foreign investors in Laos, with 17 licensed projects worth US$87.9 million. By the end of June, the Lao government had licensed 186 Vietnamese-invested projects capitalised at over US$2 billion.

The two countries held talks between their business communities, ironing out snags and promoting investment in their respective countries. They also signed a number of cooperation deals in the fields of trade, transport, the exchange of specialists, and food safety and hygiene. The Vietnamese government also sent senior economic experts to help Laos sum up its economic reforms.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese officials pledged to accept more Laos students, with priority given to improving their learning and living conditions at local training institutions.

Both parties agreed to work with their relevant agencies to study and create works dedicated to the late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh in Laos. They will also continue to work closely to ensure SEA Games 25 is a success while organising a Vietnamese Cultural Week in Laos later this year.

They agreed to slash import tariffs further, simplify customs procedures and expand the list of goods enjoying zero-percent import tariffs, aimed at raising two-way trade value in 2010 to US$1 billion.

At the end of the session, the minutes of the meeting were signed in the presence of the two Deputy Prime Ministers and their delegates.