The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and the Lao delegation was headed by Chien’s counterpart Sen. Lt. Gen. Vongkham Phommakone.

Joining the Vietnamese delegation was Trang Thi Xuan, member of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board and Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People's Committee.

The working delegations inspected several places where the programme’s activities will be organised, including Long Sap border gate, a school where the two ministers will visit, and the venue for the talks between the two countries’ delegations will take place.

Chien and his Lao counterpart praised the relevant agencies and units of the two countries' defence ministries for actively and proactively implementing preparations for the event. They thanked departments, agencies and localities of Son La and Houaphanh provinces for their close coordination.

They also gave recommendations in terms of protocol, logistics, transport, security and safety, and health care towards the best preparation to make the programme a success.

The officers agreed that the exchange programme will be an opportunity to foster the close relationship between the two countries, and promote the sense of responsibility of their border protection forces to coordinate more closely and effectively in safeguarding the borderline and markers, fighting crimes, helping people to ease poverty, and building a shared borderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and mutual development.

The second Vietnam-Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange is scheduled to take place in the two above-mentioned districts in late October.

Vietnam and Laos share a border of more than 2,300km, running through 10 provinces of each nation.