Vientiane (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Le ThiThu Hang, who is also head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV)Affairs, had a meeting with Lao Foreign Minister Tinh Souksan in Vientiane onSeptember 7 to discuss the two countries’ cooperation, including in supportingoverseas Vietnamese and Lao people.

The two sides agreed to step up bilateral cooperationmechanisms and effectively implement their countries’ high-level agreements,especially those in education - training, tourism, culture, people-to-people exchanges,and locality-to-locality ties, thereby helping enhance the great friendship,special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Hang said that with about 6 million people in over 130countries and territories, the OV communities have been gaining a foothold intheir host countries, substantially contributing to local socio-economic,scientific - technological and cultural development, and acting as bridges connectingVietnam with other countries.

The Party and State of Vietnam always pay attention to andview OVs as an integral part of the great national solidarity and a resource fornational development, she went on.

She added that the over 100,000 Vietnamese people in Laos forma large OV community. They have been upholding patriotism and the homeland’scultural identity, staying united, complying with laws of Laos, and serving asa link between the two peoples, thus contributing to the countries’ special friendship.

Hang thanked the Lao Party, Government, and people for assisting andcreating favourable conditions for OVs to settle down, study, and work here tohelp with the country’s development and prosperity.

Theofficial proposed the Lao side continue giving conditions to the OV community,assisting with the maintenance of the Vietnamese cultural identity, andsupporting the teaching and learning of the Vietnamese language at educationalestablishments of Laos in the areas housing large numbers of OVs.

The twosides agreed to enhance cooperation between the State Committee for OV Affairsand the Liaison Committee for Overseas Lao People, resume mutual visits afterthe COVID-19 pandemic, and share experience in making policies, mobilisingexpatriates’ resources for the homelands and maintaining the countries’ culturalidentities and languages.

Hangalso invited the Liaison Committee for Overseas Lao People to pay a workingvisit to Vietnam in the coming time.

Also on September 7, she had aworking session with the OV community in Laos./.