Deepening Lao Cai - Yunnan cooperation

Recently, Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee signed a friendship cooperation agreement with the People's Government of Van Son District and a cooperation agreement with the People's Government of Hong Ha District. This is a very important event, contributing to raising the relationship between Lao Cai Province and Yunnan Province to a new level. To better understand the content of the cooperation, Lao Cai Newspaper reporter interviewed comrade Hoang Quoc Khanh, Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee.

Dear comrade, what is the significance of the Provincial People's Committee signing cooperation agreements with Van Son and Hong Ha districts, Yunnan province (China) at this time?

Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China) are two neighboring provinces with a long-standing traditional friendship. In recent times, the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province in general and Honghe district, Wenshan district, Yunnan province in particular have been increasingly consolidated, developed and achieved many results in many fields. However, these results are still not commensurate with the potential and expectations of both sides.

On December 12, 2018, in Lai Chau province, within the framework of the 7th Meeting of the Joint Working Group between Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Ha Giang, Dien Bien provinces (Vietnam) and Yunnan province (China), Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and Hong Ha District People's Committee signed the Cooperation Agreement for the period 2019 - 2023. The agreement is valid for 5 years, therefore, signing the next phase agreement is necessary and in line with the wishes of Lao Cai province and Hong Ha district.

Within the framework of the 4th Annual Conference between Provincial Party Secretaries of the provinces and the 10th Meeting of the Joint Working Group between Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien and Yunnan provinces held in Kunming on June 12, 2024, under the witness of 5 Provincial Party Secretaries, leaders of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and Hong Ha District People's Government signed a Cooperation Agreement between Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and Hong Ha District People's Government for the period 2024 - 2028; leaders of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and Van Son District People's Government signed a Cooperation and Friendship Agreement between Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee and Van Son District People's Government.

These two agreements are of great significance, serving as the basis for Lao Cai province, together with Hong Ha and Van Son districts, to implement cooperation contents in the next phase, bringing the relationship between Lao Cai and Hong Ha and Van Son districts to a new level, increasingly developing, deepening and becoming more substantial. This is also the first activity to concretize the content of the Minutes of the 4th Annual Conference between the Provincial Party Secretaries of the provinces and the 10th Meeting of the Joint Working Group between Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien provinces and Yunnan province signed on June 12, 2024 in Kunming.

Could you please share the key cooperation contents with Van Son and Hong Ha districts that Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee has just signed?

For Hong Ha district, the two sides agreed on six key cooperation contents, which are to enhance exchanges and build cooperation mechanisms: the two sides agreed to establish a work exchange mechanism; enhance exchanges and cooperation between equal agencies; maintain regular exchanges, and continuously deepen substantive cooperation in all fields.

Improve the quality of investment and trade cooperation: the two sides will jointly research and form industrial parks and processing zones for import and export goods; jointly develop a mechanism to promote cross-border investment in industries; promote the opening of border gates (openings) and complete synchronous infrastructure in border gate areas; research and promote the construction of smart border gates and cooperation in e-commerce; continue to perfect the "priority stream" for fast customs clearance of agricultural products...

Promote cross-border infrastructure construction: Research to promote the connection of the railway section between Lao Cai station (Vietnam) - Ha Khau Bac station (China) and build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong standard gauge railway; promote the construction and opening of the road bridge across the Red River in the border area of ​​Bat Xat (Vietnam) - Ba Sai (China).

Strengthening cross-border tourism cooperation: The two sides create favorable conditions for tourist vehicles to run directly across the border along international transport routes signed by the two countries' Ministries of Transport; jointly promote the exploitation of tourism routes; research and promote the construction of a border tourism pilot area, a cross-border tourism cooperation area, and a Vietnam-China Cultural Exchange Center.

Strengthening border management cooperation: Coordinate the implementation of annual joint border inspection activities; deploy the construction of border works according to regulations and procedures in relevant agreements; build communication channels between law enforcement agencies of the two sides, and maintain cooperation in border law enforcement.

Promote people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in other fields: Support exchanges and cooperation between agencies and localities of the two sides; coordinate the organization of people-to-people exchange activities in many forms; promote exchanges in the fields of: Science, education, culture, sports, health, agriculture, justice, environmental protection, etc.

Regarding Van Son district, the two sides agreed on four key cooperation contents, which are to enhance political trust: Increase exchanges and mutual visits to promote and continuously deepen the friendly exchange and substantive cooperation between the two sides.

Promote substantive cooperation: Encourage agencies to establish cooperation mechanisms; study to promote experience exchange and substantive cooperation; implement cooperation in personnel training; encourage the Communist Youth Unions of both sides to carry out exchange activities in various forms; support close exchanges and interactions between border districts of both sides; enhance people-to-people exchanges, education and propaganda about the Vietnam-China friendship, further consolidate the traditional friendship of the people in border areas; actively coordinate in managing cross-border labor.

Promote economic and trade cooperation: Research to expand economic and trade cooperation channels between the two sides, promote and improve the effectiveness of economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation, support businesses to expand their markets; promote the opening of border markets and the construction of a bridge across the border in the area of ​​Hoa Chu Phung, Simacai district, Lao Cai province - Seo Pa Chu, Ma Quan district, Van Son district.

Strengthening security cooperation: Seriously implementing the three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border, ensuring the clarity and stability of the border; effectively preventing and combating cross-border criminal activities, actively and satisfactorily resolving sudden incidents and issues.

Based on the signed content, how do you evaluate the cooperation prospects between Lao Cai and Yunnan in particular and the whole country in general?

Lao Cai is located in the center of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region, and is also the center of the border provinces adjacent to Yunnan province (China); it is a trade transit point on the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong economic corridor, connecting Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the large southwestern market of China, an important connection point on the North - South corridor within the framework of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cooperation.

In recent times, Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces have made efforts to promote their advantages and potentials to affirm their role as “bridges” and achieved many achievements in connecting economic trade between regions, ASEAN and the Southwest region of China. However, the results have not been commensurate with the potential and demand for trade and commerce between regions. Economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation between Yunnan and Lao Cai still has many prospects and room for development, especially in expanding the import of high-quality agricultural and aquatic products from Vietnam, cooperation in wood processing, etc.

The documents and cooperation agreements signed within the framework of the 4th Annual Conference between Provincial Party Secretaries and the 10th Meeting of the Joint Working Group between Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien and Yunnan provinces recently held in Kunming will be the basis for localities of Vietnam and Yunnan province to strengthen comprehensive relations; promote trade and investment; promote transport infrastructure connectivity; expand forms of people-to-people exchange; develop tourism... contributing to promoting the prosperous development of the region and for the benefit of the business community and people of the localities on both sides.

Thank you very much, comrade !

Vu Thanh Nam

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/lam-sau-sac-them-quan-he-hop-tac-lao-cai-van-nam-post386100.html