At the meeting, Ms. Phimpha Keomixay said that 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, and the Year of Solidarity and Friendship between Vietnam and Laos. “To record this important milestone, the Lao side has carried out a lot of trade and people-to-people diplomacy activities in various fields at state and local levels,” she added. “In that spirit, the Laos side wishes to continue to invest in building the Laos - Vietnam Trade, Culture and Tourism Center in Can Tho City.”

Continuing the good friendship between the two countries, the Laos delegation proposed Laos - Vietnam Trade, Culture and Tourism Center project in Can Tho city. The construction, expected to have a minimum floor area of 1 ha will use 100% FDI capital from Laos or a joint venture between enterprises of the two countries. Once put into operation, the center will become a venue for meetings of senior leaders of Vietnam and Laos as well as ASEAN members and other countries in the world when they visit the Mekong Delta region and Can Tho in particular. Together with it, the Lao side will grant an equivalent land area to Can Tho City in Xiengkhouang province, to build a trade center in order to boost cultural exchange and economic development between the two provinces in particular and the two countries in general.

Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, welcomed the idea of establishing the Laos - Vietnam Trade, Culture and Tourism Center in Can Tho City. “This can be considered a typical project in the cooperation between Vietnam - Laos in general and Can Tho City - Laos in particular,” he said.

Regarding the establishment of the Center, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thuc Hien directed relevant departments and agencies to actively support the Lao side in completing documents and procedures, considering master plans on land use in the overall vision of urban planning; as well as the provisions of Vietnamese law in construction investment and in completing the procedures.

Vice Chairman Nguyen Thuc Hien said that Can Tho city highly appreciates and attaches great importance to maintaining and strengthening the special friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, especially in the current era of integration and development. He also expressed his wish that through cooperation and exchanges, the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos will be increasingly tightened and sustainable.

According to the Can Tho Department of Foreign Affairs, in the first nine months of this year, Can Tho city exported 96,430 USD worth of goods to Laos, mainly aquatic products and medicine. The city and Laos have also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in rice and aquaculture production. Can Tho is also implementing many official and student exchange programs with Laos, while considering the opening of a Can Tho-Vientiane air route to promote tourism between Vietnam and Laos.