On the afternoon of July 2nd, in Hanoi, the Ministry of National Defense held a press meeting to introduce the 3rd Vietnam - Laos border defense friendship exchange in Nghe An and Bolykhamxay.
Colonel Do Duy Chinh - Deputy Director of the Propaganda and Training Department (General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army) - said that the program will take place from July 9-10, 2026 in Nghe An province (Vietnam) and Bolykhamxay province (Laos).
The Vietnamese delegation was headed by General Phan Van Giang, Member of the Politburo, Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense.
The Lao delegation was headed by General Khamliang Outhakaysone, Member of the Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense of Laos.
This is a defense foreign affairs activity to strengthen political trust, consolidate solidarity, promote cooperation between border protection forces, local authorities and people in border areas of the two countries, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative and developing Vietnam - Laos border.
Representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of National Defense) said that, following the success of two exchanges in 2021 and 2024, this year's program takes place right on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 49th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos (July 18, 1977 - July 18, 2026), further affirming the effectiveness of the defense cooperation model, contributing to concretizing the common understanding of senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries.
In Laos, the delegation will participate in the welcoming ceremony in the Landmark Area 460; greeting and applying lipstick to the landmark; planting friendship trees; groundbreaking ceremony for the working coordination station of Border Guard Company 252 funded by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense;
Visiting, giving gifts and scholarships to students of a primary school in Xaychamphone district, Bolykhamxay province; visiting medical examination and treatment activities, free medicine distribution and giving breeding cows to poor households; farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at Nam On Border Gate.
In Vietnam, the Lao delegation will attend the welcoming ceremony at Landmark 460 area; plant friendship trees; visit and give gifts to Thanh Thuy Border Guard Station; attend the preliminary kết nghĩa ceremony between residential clusters on both sides of the border, cultural exchange, sports and give breeding cows to households in difficult circumstances;
Attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the kindergarten built by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense as a gift to the locality; visiting the Kim Lien Special National Relic Site; talks between the two delegations and a send-off ceremony at Thanh Thuy Border Gate.
Before the exchange program, the two sides also held a preliminary twinning ceremony between Thanh Thuy Border Guard Station (Vietnam) and Border Guard Company 252 (Laos), exchanged young border officers, provided medical examination, treatment and free medicine distribution to people in the border area of Vietnam.
