Vietnam and Laos Hold Third Border Defense Friendship Exchange

From 9‑10 July 2026, senior defence delegations from Vietnam and Laos met at the Thanh Thủy border gate in Nghệ An province and in Bolykhamxay, Laos, for the third Vietnam‑Laos border defence friendship programme. The two deputy prime ministers and defence ministers, Gen. Phan Văn Giang and Gen. Khamliang Outhakaysone, took part in ceremonial tree‑planting, marked the border marker, and attended cultural games such as traditional throwing, rope‑skipping and Lao Lam Vong dance.

The visit also featured joint humanitarian activities: scholarships for 100 students, free medical examinations and equipment for a border health post, and the donation of 150 cattle to families in need. Construction projects were launched, including a 30‑billion‑dong kindergarten in Kim Bảng, Vietnam, and a joint border‑cooperation station in Bolykhamxay, slated for completion in late 2027. The events underscored the deepening security, economic and people‑to‑people ties between the two neighbours.