On the morning of June 25, 2026, a delegation from Vientiane Capital (Lao PDR), led by Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone – Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vientiane Capital People’s Council – paid a working visit to and held discussions with the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Council. The delegation was received and worked with by Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu – Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council; Mr. Nguyen Nhu Khoi – Provincial Party Committee Member, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council; along with leaders of various committees, the Office of the National Assembly Delegation and Provincial People’s Council; and representatives of the Standing People’s Councils of wards under the former Vinh City.

Scene of the working session

Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council Hoang Nghia Hieu delivered a speech

Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council Hong Nghĩa Hiếu expressed his pleasure in welcoming and working with the high-level delegation from Vientiane Capital, led by Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone – Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vientiane Capital People’s Council – during their visit and working session in Nghe An Province.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Nghia Hieu emphasized that the visit was of great significance, contributing to strengthening ties, exchanges, and cooperation between the elected bodies as well as the authorities of the two localities.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman Hoang Nghia Hieu affirmed that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos are invaluable assets of the two nations, nurtured over generations by the leaders and people of both countries. He stressed that the authorities and people of Nghe An Province have always regarded the promotion of comprehensive cooperation with Lao localities as a top political priority.

Reviewing the results of bilateral cooperation in recent years, Chairman Hoang Nghia Hieu noted that cooperation between Nghe An Province and Lao localities, particularly Vientiane Capital, has been implemented comprehensively and has yielded many positive outcomes, contributing to consolidating and strengthening the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos. The two sides have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation for the 2025–2028 period between the authorities of Vientiane Capital and Nghe An Province, providing an important foundation for implementing cooperation programs in the coming years.

Regarding key cooperation projects, the provincial leader said that construction of the Vinh–Thanh Thuy Expressway commenced on May 18, 2026. The expressway will be connected to the Hanoi–Vientiane Expressway and is expected to be completed and put into operation after approximately two years of construction. The project will facilitate travel, promote socio-economic development, and further strengthen the solidarity and close ties between the people of the two localities.

Looking ahead, Chairman Hoang Nghia Hieu expressed his confidence that cooperation between the sectors and authorities of Vientiane Capital and Nghe An Province will continue to develop in a deeper, more practical, and more effective manner. He also called on the Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee to continue directing the Vientiane Capital People's Council and relevant agencies of both sides to effectively implement the contents agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding, thereby achieving practical results and further consolidating the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee and Chairman of the Vientiane Capital People's Council Atsaphangthong Siphandone delivered a speech

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vientiane Capital People's Council, expressed his pleasure at leading the delegation on a working visit to Nghe An Province in the spirit of the great friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

Emphasizing that Nghe An is a land rich in revolutionary traditions and the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh—the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people and a close friend of the Lao people—Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone, on behalf of the delegation, sincerely thanked the provincial leaders for their warm reception and hospitality.

On this occasion, the high-level delegation of Vientiane Capital congratulated Vietnam on its recent achievements, particularly the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the elections to the 16th National Assembly, and the elections of People's Councils at all levels. He also congratulated Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu on his election as Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council, expressing confidence that under his leadership, cooperation between the People's Councils of Nghe An Province and Vientiane Capital would continue to become increasingly substantive and effective.

Providing updates on the development of Vientiane Capital, Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone said that earlier the same morning, he had held talks with the Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged information on the outstanding socio-economic achievements of their respective localities.

Regarding the operation of the Vientiane Capital People's Council, he noted that the capital had successfully organized the elections for the 10th National Assembly and the 5th-term People's Council in May 2026, in accordance with the directives of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the guidance of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Laos.

He also shared information on recent reforms in the organizational structure and leadership model in Laos. Under the new regulations, the Provincial Party Secretary concurrently serves as Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, while the District Party Secretary serves as Head of the People's Council Delegation in the district-level electoral unit. According to him, this model is intended to enhance the Party's leadership, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the political system, and strengthen public confidence in the Party's leadership during the new stage of development.

Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone expressed his hope that both sides would continue to strengthen exchanges of experience and expand practical cooperation across various fields, thereby further fostering and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general, and the cooperative relationship between Nghe An Province and Vientiane Capital in particular.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged experience in the organization and operation of their respective People's Councils. On behalf of the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council, Vice Chairman Nguyen Nhu Khoi shared experience in constituent outreach conducted by provincial People's Council deputies, as well as in monitoring and guiding the activities of commune-level People's Councils under the two-tier local government model. Accordingly, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council has issued a plan clearly defining the forms, contents, participants, and responsibilities of each organization and individual involved. Constituents' petitions are systematically compiled and classified according to competence for timely settlement. The outcomes of petition settlement are publicly posted on the dbndnghean.vn portal and the Nghe An People's Representatives Facebook page, enabling constituents to conveniently monitor the progress at any time. In addition, the Provincial People's Council has established a hotline to receive constituents' feedback during its sessions.

Drawing on practical experience, Vice Chairman Nguyen Nhu Khoi shared several recommendations for improving constituent outreach and the settlement of constituents' petitions. He emphasized that People's Council deputies should fully perform their responsibilities in meeting with constituents while expanding thematic and target-group-based consultations to address specific issues more effectively. He also suggested that meetings with constituents should include leaders of provincial departments, sectors, and local authorities so that issues within their competence can be explained and resolved directly on the spot. Furthermore, he stressed the need to closely monitor the implementation of constituents' petitions and urge the Provincial People's Committee and relevant agencies to settle them promptly whenever possible. For petitions that cannot be addressed immediately due to objective reasons, clear explanations and implementation roadmaps should be provided to avoid repeated petitions on the same issue. In addition, he highlighted the importance of accelerating digital transformation in the compilation, monitoring, and reporting of petition settlement results to constituents, while strengthening oversight of petition settlement, clearly defining responsibilities, and proposing appropriate measures for agencies and units that fail to properly fulfill these responsibilities.

Expressing his appreciation for the valuable experiences shared by the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council, Atsaphangthong Siphandone, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee and Chairman of the Vientiane Capital People's Council, respectfully invited the leaders of Nghe An Province to visit Vientiane Capital in the near future to further strengthen the friendship and cooperative relationship between the two localities.

Concluding the meeting, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council Hoang Nghia Hieu emphasized the importance of the cooperative relationship between the Nghe An Provincial People's Council and the Vientiane Capital People's Council. He stated that, in addition to exchanging and sharing operational experience, the two sides should continue to effectively implement the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the 2025–2028 period signed between the two People's Councils.

He also expressed his hope that exchange visits between Nghe An Province and Vientiane Capital would be maintained on a regular basis and continue to deepen, thereby enhancing cooperation across various fields.

Chairman Hoang Nghia Hieu expressed his confidence that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general, as well as the cooperative relationship between Nghe An Province and Vientiane Capital in particular, would continue to develop in a sustainable, practical, and effective manner, achieving even greater accomplishments in the years to come.

Phan Quynh