Firstly, the friendly cooperation between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province, China has developed in depth.

In recent years, the friendly cooperation relationship between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province has been increasingly strengthened and expanded in many fields. The two provinces have built a reliable and effective cooperative basis for both sides. In November 2015, in Hanoi, under the witness of senior leaders of the two countries, the Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee and the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Yunnan signed the Agreement on the implementation of friendship exchanges between the local Party Committee Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee and Yunnan Provincial Party Committee. Then, in August 2017, Lao Cai was the first province on the border to sign an Agreement to establish friendly relations with Yunnan province. This is the basis for the two sides to continue strengthening comprehensive friendly cooperation, contributing to promoting socio-economic development of the two localities, maintaining social order and safety in the two border areas. country.

On November 5, 2015, in Hanoi, comrade Nguyen Van Vinh - Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee and Mr. Ly Ky Hang - Secretary of the Van Nam Provincial Party Committee signed the Agreement on the implementation of friendship exchanges between the local Party Committee. The Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee and Yunnan Provincial Party Committee were witnessed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and the General Secretary and President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. (Image: Bui Thuy Nga).

On the basis of a comprehensive cooperation relationship between the two provinces, localities of the two sides have actively established a close and effective relationship. Up to now, there have been 6 pairs of districts and cities of the two provinces that have signed the Agreement to establish friendly relations; 06 pairs of villages on both sides of the border and 10 border posts of Lao Cai province with 19 border units of Yunnan province held friendship. This is a bright spot for border defense and people's diplomacy, which has been widely deployed across the Vietnam-China border line.

In July 2017, on the 110th anniversary of the establishment of Lao Cai province, Lao Cai province and Chau Hong Ha province, Yunnan province, for the first time, cooperated to organize the "One two-country race" bicycle race in Lao Cai and then annually held in Lao Cai and Ha Khau, attracting many athletes from the two countries to participate.

In September 2018, Lao Cai province and Yunnan province cooperated with relevant ministries, agencies and localities of the two sides to organize the pilot run of the Hai Phong - Hanoi - Lao Cai intermodal passenger transport route - Kunming. This is a favorable condition for enterprises of the two sides to efficiently exploit and improve the transport capacity on the highway Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong.

With the efforts of both provinces in coordinating the organization of trade promotion activities and enhancing measures to facilitate customs clearance, trade exchange activities between the two provinces have been increasingly active, Import and export turnover between the two sides has continuously increased over the past years, the average growth rate is 16.49%/year.

In addition, cooperation between the two sides in the fields of investment, culture, health, education, agriculture, environmental protection, crime prevention ... has also achieved many positive results.

In order to reevaluate the achieved cooperation results and agree on the cooperation direction in the new period, in December 2019, Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh - Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee paid a visit to Yunnan province and the association. talks with the Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee Tran Hao. At the session, the two sides continued to affirm: Lao Cai province and Yunnan province have close cooperation relations, widely in many fields and have achieved positive results. In the coming time, the two sides will continue to promote the friendly cooperation between the two provinces to develop comprehensively and go into depth to match the potentials and expectations of both sides.

Lao Cai Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Van Vinh held a session with Van Nam Provincial Party Secretary Tran Hao on December 17, 2019 in Kunming. (Image: Bui Thuy Nga).

Second, the cooperation between Lao Cai province and the Nouvelle Aquitaine (France) has entered a new stage.

In March 2017, Lao Cai province together with Thua Thien Hue province (Vietnam) and Nouvelle Aquitaine (France) signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement between the 3 localities for the period 2017 - 2019 and continued to sign the renewal in 2020 . In which, the specific cooperation axes of Lao Cai province include: (1) Tourism and cultural heritage conservation, environment and history; (2) Food security and ecological agriculture. These are very practical cooperation contents with Lao Cai province in the current period.

Third, the province's foreign relations continue to be expanded.

In July 2017, on the occasion of the President's visit to the Republic of Belarus, Lao Cai province signed a cooperation agreement with the province of Brest (Republic of Belarus) under the witness of the leaders of the two countries. In particular, Lao Cai province proposes and calls on Belarus investors to participate in high-tech agricultural production projects, industry, logistics, trade and other projects calling for investment in the province.

Fourth, the province actively maintains good relationships with embassies, international organizations, and foreign investors to attract investment and support from outside.

Lao Cai has always actively cooperated closely with organizations that have been sponsoring and investing in Lao Cai in order to attract funding and investment projects, contributing to hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and improvement of living conditions. living and working for people, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas of the province.

Lao Cai also maintains good relationships with the Embassies of countries in Vietnam, thereby calling for and mobilizing support projects for localities in the province. In 2018, the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam supported Lao Cai province with 4.3 billion VND to build 06 classrooms in Nam Chay commune, Muong Khuong district. The work was completed on November 20, 2018 according to the plan.

Fifth, Lao Cai province becomes a reliable place to organize major foreign activities

In 2015, during the official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Vietnam, the Norwegian Prime Minister visited and worked for the first time in Lao Cai. The entire program of the Prime Minister's activities in Lao Cai province is carefully arranged, important, safe and effective, leaving a deep impression on the delegation from Norway.

In addition, Lao Cai province is selected to organize major external activities such as: The Vietnam - China defense friendship exchange, the Vietnam - China Youth Festival, sessions between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, the activities on the sidelines of the chapter Vietnam - US Human Rights Dialogue ...

Grasping the Party and State's foreign policies, guidelines and policies on foreign affairs, over the past years, the foreign relations and international cooperation of Lao Cai province have been continuously expanded and obtained. Positive results, making an important contribution to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the province.

The results achieved in foreign affairs in the period 2015 - 2020 have affirmed the correct view and direction in foreign relations and international cooperation in Lao Cai province in the current period. That is also the premise for Lao Cai to determine its determination to become a typical locality for international integration and cooperation in the Northwestern region and the whole country./.