Signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Friendly Cooperation between Phu Tho and Houaphanh Provinces

On the afternoon of February 2, a delegation from Houaphanh Province (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), led by Mr. Phonsouk Inthavong—Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial Administration Committee—visited Phu Tho Province to offer Lunar New Year greetings. During the visit, both sides held talks and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on friendly cooperation between the two provinces.

Mr. Tran Duy Dong, Chairman of the Phu Tho Provincial People’s Committee, and Mr. Phonsouk Inthavong, Chairman of the Houaphanh Provincial Administration Committee, sign the Memorandum of Understanding.

Welcoming and working with the delegation were Mr. Tran Duy Dong—Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Mr. Quach Tat Liem—Member of the Provincial Party Territorial Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; along with leaders of various provincial departments.

During the talks, Chairman Tran Duy Dong introduced briefly the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and provided an overview of the newly merged Phu Tho Province, highlighting comprehensive socio-economic achievements in 2025.

He highly appreciated the presence of key leaders and department representatives from Houaphanh, which demonstrated the goodwill and determination of the Houaphanh government to deepen friendly relations with Phu Tho.

An overview of the talks between the two provincial delegations.

The Chairman of the Phu Tho Provincial People’s Committee emphasized the desire for both sides to continue coordinating closely in cadre training and development, as well as increasing the exchange of professional delegations to share expertise in state management, administrative reform, and local socio-economic development.

Both parties aim to bolster cooperation in education and training, particularly in human resource development and the admission of students from Houaphanh province to study in Phu Tho.

There will be an increase in joint efforts to organize cultural, sporting, and tourism exchanges, as well as people-to-people activities. They will share experiences in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, gradually and effectively tapping into the tourism potential of each locality.

Furthermore, they will exchange information and share best practices in socio-economic development, especially in agriculture, poverty reduction, rural development, and social security. Both provinces seek to gradually promote trade cooperation and connect product consumption channels tailored to the actual conditions of each side.

The Houaphanh delegation presented flowers to congratulate Chairman Tran Duy Dong on his recent election as an Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam at the 14th National Congress.

Mr. Phonsouk Inthavong, Chairman of the Houaphanh Provincial Administration Committee, expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality and congratulated Phu Tho on its recent socio-economic achievements. He also provided a brief overview of Houaphanh Province.

Accordingly, Houaphanh is one of the 18 provinces of Laos, located in northeastern Laos with a natural area of ​​16,500 km2. Huaphanh province borders three provinces of Vietnam: Son La, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An, with a border length of 577 km. Huaphanh province has 10 districts and 729 villages with a total population of 318,383 people belonging to 9 ethnic groups living together.

Mr. Phonsouk Inthavong affirmed that the close, friendly cooperative relationship between Houaphanh and the former Hoa Binh province has been meticulously nurtured by generations of leaders and citizens. This serves as a vital foundation for expanding and elevating their partnership in this new era.

On that basis, he expressed his hope that Houaphanh and Phu Tho would continue to inherit and uphold this fine tradition of cooperation. He called for increased exchanges and delegation visits at all levels, especially high-level meetings, to further tighten the bonds of friendship, trust, and mutual understanding.

He also proposed that both provinces create favorable conditions for departments and sectors to meet regularly and exchange experiences in areas of mutual interest. Additionally, they should promote connectivity and create opportunities for the business communities of both provinces to increase information exchange, explore investment environments, and collaborate based on the unique potentials and strengths of each side.

Moreover, Houaphanh province hopes to continue receiving support from Phu Tho in human resource training and infrastructure development, contributing to socio-economic growth and consolidating the enduring friendly ties between the two provinces.

During the talks, both sides discussed and agreed on contents and solutions to push their cooperation toward greater depth, practicality, and efficiency. They officially signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a new phase of development for the relationship between the two localities—one that is more substantive, effective, and sustainable, contributing to the overall great friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Dinh Vu