Laos, China agree to strengthen border security
Laos and China have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in the maintenance of security along their shared border with the signing of a new agreement. The agreement was signed by the Head of the National Boundary Committee Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Phaengsavanh Keopaseuth, and Deputy Director General of the Border and Ocean Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr He Wei. According to a statement from the Lao foreign ministry on November 1, the two parties signed the agreement during the 14th Laos-China Joint Border Inspection Committee meeting, held in China from October 25-29. Under the new agreement, the two parties will share ideas, information and experiences concerning border control, and officials requested that the number of security guards deployed along their shared border be increased. Regarding illegal trading and logging, the drug trade, human trafficking, transnational crime and other issues, the two parties also agreed to advise officials, districts and local authorities along their shared border to be extra vigilant.