Vientiane (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on May 17 paid a working visit to Champasak province in southwestern Laos as part of his trip to the country.

At a meeting with the province's leaders, the Vietnamese top legislator applauded Champasak province for expanding collaboration with localities of Vietnam in recent years. 

Emphasising the potential for cooperation between the two countries, Hue said he wants the province will continue to promote collaboration with localities in Vietnam, assist Vietnamese enterprises that are investing in the province and help Vietnamese living in the province for a long time get Lao nationality to feel secure.

He announced that the Office of the National Assembly of Vietnam and businesses accompanying the Vietnamese NA delegation will present equipment, textbooks, and financial support to the province to upgrade local friendship schools.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Governor of Champasak Vilayvong Bouddakham briefed the Vietnamese NA chairman on the province's achievements over the past few years, attributing them to the effective support of Vietnamese Party, Government and 19 provinces and cities that have twinning relationship with the province.

Cooperation between Champasak and localities of Vietnam continues to be expanded in many fields including education and health, he said, adding that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the province has received financial assistance and medical equipment from twin localities for pandemic prevention and control.

Vietnam is one of the countries with the largest direct investment capital in the province with 45 projects, accounting for 22 percent of the total value of foreign-invested projects in the province, according to the official.

Bouddakham said various activities will be organised this year to celebrate the Year of Friendship and Solidarity between Vietnam and Laos. He hoped that the Vietnamese NA Chairman will continue to create favourable conditions to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and between Champasak and localities in Vietnam as well.

The same day, the NA Chairman visited the local ethnic boarding school, which was built using non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government in 1999.  

The school is now accommodating m🌊ore than 900 students of 14 ethnic groups.    

The legislative leader presented books and school equipment worth 320 million VND (nearly 14,000 USD) to the school and gifts to students.

♏Earlier, Hue also called at the Lao-Viet rubber company, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Rubber Group, which is employing nearly 2,500 ��local workers./.