The Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam will collaborate with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos to apply digital technology and digital transformation, contributing to the development and prosperity of both nations.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos (5/9/1962 – 5/9/2022) and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos (18/7/1977 – 18/7/2022), on the morning of December 17, the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos organized a meeting and exchange in Cua Lo town, Nghe An province.
An exchange and intimate conversation session between the working delegation of the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam and the working delegation of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos.
Participating in the intimate conversation, on the Lao side were the Minister of the Lao Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Boviengkham Vongdara, Deputy Minister of the Lao Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Santisouk Simmalavong, along with officials from the technology and communication sector in Laos.
From the Vietnamese side, there were Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Phan Tam, and leaders of affiliated departments and bureaus.
The conversation took place in a warm, intimate atmosphere, fostering the friendly relationship between the two countries.
Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Nguyen Manh Hung (left), along with Minister of the Lao Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Boviengkham Vongdara, engaging in an intimate conversation with members of both delegations
“To have a strong partnership, both sides must understand each other’s language, share each other’s cuisine, meaning a deep understanding of each other’s culture,” emphasized Minister Nguyen Manh Hung.
Minister Boviengkham Vongdara shared that he learned Vietnamese in Laos from a young age through teachers teaching Vietnamese. Vietnamese became the language that helped him study Russian well when he went to study in the former Soviet Union.
Digital transformation and digital technology are prerequisites for national development, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized that the predecessors of the two countries, such as President Ho Chi Minh, Prince Souphanouvong, President Kaysone Phomvihane, have created a great relationship. They created this great relationship because they did great things, with a common direction to liberate the country and regain independence.
Liberating the country is a great deed, but making one’s country strong, prosperous, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the powers of the continents is also a great deed to prevent any invasion. The Communist Party of Vietnam aims that by 2045, Vietnam will become a developed country with high income, strength, and prosperity. Digital technology and digital transformation are the means, tools, and new development methods to achieve that goal.
“Vietnam and Laos have a common great mission to develop their countries strongly. If we walk together, hold hands to become developed countries, we will not only maintain the great friendship but also make that friendship even greater,” shared Minister Nguyen Manh Hung.
Leaders of the Ministry of Information and Communications believe that the Lao Party and State also set a goal to make Laos a developed country with high income, standing shoulder to shoulder with powers, and will choose digital technology and digital transformation as an important solution.
Listening and appreciating the opinions of the leaders of the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam, Minister Boviengkham Vongdara affirmed that in the era of Industry 4.0, we need digital transformation.
“The political situation in the world is complex and may affect the relationship between Vietnam and Laos. I want to convey to our young officials to trust in maintaining this great relationship, believe in the right directions, and continue to enhance friendly exchanges between the two sides,” shared Minister Boviengkham Vongdara.
Vietnam will support Laos in digital transformation.
Earlier, in the talks between the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos, the two ministers also exchanged many cooperation contents between the two countries in the fields of digital technology and communication.
Bilateral talks between the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos on the morning of December 17.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung stated that effective digital technology platforms implemented in Vietnam would be transferred to Laos, and officials would be sent to assist the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos. Additionally, Laos could send officials to Vietnam for training and collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications. This way, the cooperative relationship between the two sides will become increasingly strong and profound.
Minister Boviengkham Vongdara acknowledged the valuable experiences in human resource training, digital transformation, and telecommunications shared and supported by the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam.
Minister Boviengkham Vongdara expressed his gratitude for the valuable sharing and support from the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam. Currently, Laos trains more than 100 ICT bachelor’s degree holders annually, and they also hope for further collaboration with Vietnam in curriculum development in this field.
“The Lao Party and State will also focus on applying digital technology in three main areas: digital government, digital economy, and digital society,” Minister Boviengkham Vongdara stated.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung shared experiences in telecommunications management and digital transformation with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Laos.
In the telecommunications sector, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung shared experiences in handling spam SIM cards, expanding 4G coverage to remote areas, and the transition to turning off 2G networks.
Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Laos acknowledged and appreciated the valuable experiences shared by Minister Nguyen Manh Hung in the field of telecommunications and digital transformation. He also acknowledged that the telecommunications industry in Laos is facing the issue of spam SIM cards and recognized that the experiences shared by the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam would be very helpful for Laos to address this problem.
Vi
