Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (middle) presents the assistances to Vientiane and Phnom Penh. (Photo: tuoitre.vn)   

NDO - Ho Chi Minh City has decided to provide assistance of US$500,000 each to the Lao capital city of Vientiane and Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh in their COVID-19 fight.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong handed over the assistance during an online working session with Vientiane’s Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone and Phnom Penh’s Governor Khuong Sreng on May 7.

Speaking at the working session, the Ho Chi Minh City leader emphasised the municipal authorities and people have always paid great attention to the difficulties that Vientiane and Phnom Penh have faced due to the new COVID-19 outbreaks.

He also reaffirmed that Ho Chi Minh City has always made a special effort to preserve and promote the good relations with Laos and Cambodia, especially with their two capital cities.

Chairman Phong expressed his hope that the epidemic would be controlled soon so that two-way trade as well as exchange and cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries could be rejuvenated.

For his part, Vientiane’s Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone gave his sincere thanks for the support from Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general for COVID-19 prevention and control.

He noted that the close cooperation among Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia was a necessary factor for success in the fight against the pandemic, as well as an important premise for the three countries in terms of socio-economic development.

Meanwhile, Phnom Penh’s Governor Khuong Sreng lauded the initiative of the Ho Chi Minh City’s leaders to call the meeting between the three localities, expressing their joint efforts and determination in concentrating resources to prevent and control the epidemic.