Laos and Vietnam complete border demarcation

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and his Lao counterpart Thongsing Thammavong oversaw the ceremony that marked the conclusion of the work on Wednesday in Hanoi .

Laos and Vietnam share a 2,340 km border that runs along 10 Vietnamese provinces. The chain of border markers has existed since 1978. However, there used to be only one marker every 10 kilometres, or in some instances 40 kilometres along the border, making management of each country’s sovereign territory more difficult. Since the upgrading project began in 2008, bordering Vietnamese and Lao provinces have seen an additional 1,002 border markers, marking a 4 and half fold increase on the previous 199 markers.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stressed the value of the border marker system. The project’s completion he said represented the mutual spirit of good will, trust and co-operation between Vietnam and Laos.

Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong also stressed the importance of the border markers in the development of both nations.

Also at the event, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, and his Lao counterpart Thonglun Sisulith, on a decree on the border markers, and the agreement on border land management.