Awarding 36 medals and 32 certificates of merit to groups and individuals of the Vietnam People's Army

The award ceremony shows recognition of the worthy contributions and dedication of collectives and individuals in the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) to the development of the country and the Lao People's Army.

Nhà nước và Bộ Quốc phòng Lào trao thưởng 36 huân chương và 32 bằng khen tặng các tập thể, cá nhân Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam

The award ceremony of the Lao State and Ministry of National Defense to collectives and individuals of the Vietnam People's Army. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

On the afternoon of September 26, at the Hall of the Ministry of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Luong Cuong, Politburo member, Standing member of the Central Military Commission, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army and Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People's Army co-chaired the ceremony to award the Labor Medal and the Heroic Medal of the Party-Government and the Certificate of Merit of the Ministry of National Defense to collectives and individuals of the Vietnam People's Army.

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Le Hoai Trung, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Head of the Central External Relations Commission; Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, member of the Central Party Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Senior Lieutenant General Vo Minh Luong, member of the Central Party Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense; leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, Head of the General Staff; Head of the General Department of Politics; Heads of agencies of the Ministry of National Defense; leaders of the Central Party External Relations Commission, leaders of the Central Emulation and Reward Commission; high-ranking political delegation of the Lao People's Army, Ambassador, Military Attaché and staff of the Lao Embassy in Hanoi.

At the ceremony, representatives of the Lao Ministry of National Defense announced the decision of the Lao State and Ministry of National Defense to award 36 medals and 32 certificates of merit to 19 groups and 49 individuals of the Vietnam People's Army with outstanding achievements in helping the country in recent times.

Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong presented the Second Class Labor Medal of the Lao State to the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

After announcing the decision, Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People's Army; Comrade Sengphet Houngboungnuang, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam and Lieutenant General Sonthong Phomlavong, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People's Army presented medals and certificates of merit to representatives of 12 groups and 18 individuals of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.

Specifically, the Lao representative awarded the Second Class Labor Medal to 2 groups; the Second Class Labor Medal and the First Class Heroic Medal to 4 individuals; the Second Class Heroic Medal to 12 individuals; and the Certificate of Merit from the Lao Ministry of National Defense to 10 groups and 2 individuals.

Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong affirmed that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two peoples and armies of Laos and Vietnam are increasingly deepening and developing, as reflected in the Cooperation Protocol between the two Ministries of National Defense of Vietnam and Laos for the period 2020 - 2024.

Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People's Army, emphasized that the awarding of the Labor Medal, the Medal of Bravery of the Party-Government and the Certificate of Merit of the Lao Ministry of National Defense this time is a recognition of the great contributions and achievements of the collectives and individuals of the Vietnam People's Army who have contributed to the Lao revolution and contributed to the development of the country as well as the Lao People's Army over the past time.

In particular, in 2022, the two countries and the two armies jointly organized the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Laos-Vietnam diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Agreement. The great friendship and special solidarity that has become a tradition of the two peoples, two Parties, two States and two armies is increasingly stronger and deeper.

General Luong Cuong emphasized that practice has proven that the fates of the two countries are always closely linked, and the stability and development of one country is also the condition and driving force for the stability and development of the other. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

Speaking at the ceremony, Senior General Luong Cuong, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, affirmed that the Lao Ministry of National Defense's coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense in solemnly organizing the award ceremony of the Lao State and Ministry of National Defense to the General Staff, the General Department of Engineering and a number of collectives and individuals of the Vietnam People's Army for their achievements in cooperation with the Lao People's Army in recent times has contributed to consolidating and strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the people and armies of the two countries.

General Luong Cuong affirmed that this is a recognition of the worthy contributions of collectives and individuals in the Vietnam People's Army to the Lao revolutionary cause as well as the cause of building the Lao People's Army; continuing to affirm and contribute to deepening the close, loyal relationship, special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, as well as the close bond between the two armies.

Vietnam always appreciates and remembers the wholehearted and righteous assistance that the Lao Party, State, People and People's Army have given to Vietnam in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the cause of national construction and defense today.

The General believes that the cooperative relationship between the Vietnam People's Army and the Lao People's Army will be increasingly strengthened and developed and continue to be an important pillar in the great friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The Ministries of National Defense and the Armies of the two countries will always actively and proactively coordinate closely, cooperate reliably, and advise effectively with the senior leaders of the two countries on military and defense work, making an important contribution to maintaining an environment for mutual development, continuing to develop the Vietnam-China relationship in general and the defense relationship between the two countries in particular to develop more comprehensively and strongly; actively contributing to the cause of national construction and defense in each country as well as to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Some other photos at the ceremony: