Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Vice Chairman of DOHWA Group signed Memmorandum of Understanding on the biomass power project

With a borderline of 201.8km, bordering with the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the province's foreign activity is mainly to develop traditional relation, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Lao provinces, especially two provinces of Khammouane and Savannakhet sharing a common borderline with Quang Binh province. The relations between all levels of authorities and forces in charge between Quang Binh province and two provinces of Laos in the fields of national defence, security and border have been maintained regularly and effectively, helping build a borderline of peace, friendly, tabilization, cooperation and development.

Besides, Quang Binh province has supported Khammouane province to build the vocational training technique school and classrooms of the Quang Binh - Khammouane Friendly School, which is capable of secondary education; received 127 students from Khammouane province and Savannakhet provinces to study in the province; directed biodiversity conservation, coordinated and managed resources at inter-border area between the Management Board of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and the Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area (Laos).

On the other hand, the province has also promoted cooperative relation with other provinces such as Nakhon Phanom, Sakhon Nakhon, Nong Khai, Bung Can (Thailand); Champasak and Bolykhamxay (Laos), using the same international highways of No.8 & No.12; gradually expanded cooperation with Western Australia. In particular, the province has directed the Management Board of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park to sign a cave agreement with the Tourism Association of Augusta Marganet River; the People's Committee of Dong Hoi City to be twinned with the Bunbury city; assigned the Department of Planning and Investment as a cooperative partner with the South West Development Commission, Western Australia; Ba Don town to sign a cooperative agreement with Buk-gu district, Gwangju city, South Korea...

The province has paid attention to investment promotion and aid mobilization. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been created favorable conditions to effectively implement the programmes and projects in the province. So far, the province has approved and received 61 NGO projects and programmes with a total value of over USD15 million, of which USD8 million has been disbursed in the fields of overcoming war consequences, health, education, children support, capacity building and support for persons with disabilities.

In addition, the province has also actively worked with the ministries, central agencies and international organizations to take advantage of source of capital for ODA projects such as the project on developing the urban environment and infrastructure, in response to climate change in Dong Hoi city; the Quang Trach running water supply project for second phase; the local bridge construction and road asset management project; the project for capacity building of Quang Binh Vocational Training College...

The province has directed the related agencies to disseminate new policies of other countries and foreign information of the province; provided local information for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appropriate authorities and foreigners to Quang Binh province. Especially, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Television firm featured a live TV program at Son Doong Cave and En Cave in its “Good Morning America” program on May 15, 2015 with an average of six million subscribers every day and approximately 60 million viewers via internet; coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO to organize an excursion to Son Doong Cave, the world's largest cave for a group of ambassadors from six countries of the Argentine, Swedish, Italian, British, Australian and Czech, and US Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski.... contributing to popularize image of Quang Binh tourism as well as country and people of Vietnam to international friends.

In the comming time, Quang Binh will continue to implement foreign policy of the 12th National Assembly Congress and the 16th Provincial Party Congress with a focus on improving effectiveness of foreign activities; concretize the Resolution No.22 of the Politburo on international integration; pay attention to development of trational friendly and cooperative relations with the provinces of Laos, especially building a comprehensive, cooperative and friendly relation with two provinces of Khammouane and Savannakhet; maintain periodic exchanges to share experience according to the policies and targets of the Parties and governments of two countries as well as an agreement signed between two provinces.

Besides, the province will also strengthen cooperative relation with the provinces of Laos and Thailand, using the same international highways No.8 and No.12 and expand cooperation with the Western Australia, Germany, Cezch, Hungary and South Korea; effectively organize activities on investment promotion and foreign trade, take initiative in seeking and contacting with potential foreign non-governmental organizations to mobilize and increase value of non-governmental aids; organize cultural activities; speed up and improve effectiveness of foreign information activity to promote image of Quang Binh province to international friends, especially the world's natural heritage site Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, "Ca Tru" intangible cultural heritage, the resting place of General Vo Nguyen Giap...

In addition, the province will also actively propagandize the Vietnamese residing abroad on the policies, laws of the Party, State and locality; introduce the policies on investment attraction of the province, contributing to draw overseas compatriots to build the motherland; strengthen State management on border, sea and islands, helping defend the sovereignty of border security and national territory as well as maintain social and political stability, strengthen national defence and security at border areas in the province.

By Nhu Y
(Source: Quang Binh Portal)