This was the main theme of a meeting this week between Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachit and his Singapore counterpart, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, when they held talks at the Laotian Presidential Palace.

Tan and his delegation arrived in Vientiane on Wednesday and are in Laos on an official state visit until Saturday today, according a statement from the Laotian President’s Office.

The visit by Tan and his delegation is in response to an invitation from Bounnhang, aiming to further boost the relationship and cooperation between Laos and Singapore.

During their talks, Bounnhang and Tan exchanged views and discussed possible areas of future cooperation.

The two presidents said they highly valued their cooperation since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1974 and discussed ways to promote future collaboration.

Tan praised Laos’ success in hosting the Asean Summits last year.

Bounnhang said he highly valued Singapore’s contribution within the Asean framework and thanked that country for its generous support to Laos during the summits.

Singapore’s SilkAir signed an agreement with Lao Airlines to start flights between Vientiane and Luang Prabang last October last year.

Singapore has also supported human-resource development by providing scholarships for short- and long-term courses for Laotian students to pursue their studies in Singapore and in their own country.

Since 2008 the government of Singapore has sent 1,500 volunteers to Laos to teach English, information technology and environmental studies. Some of the volunteers are doctors who were assigned to work in hospitals.

There are currently 70 Singaporean-funded investment projects in Laos worth US$175 million (Bt6.2 billion). Of these, 33 projects are worth $97 million and are 100 per cent foreign-owned. The remaining 37 projects are joint ventures, according to the Laotian Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Based on the size of investments, Singapore ranks 11th out of 52 countries that have interests in Laos. Singapore has invested in 12 projects in the industry and handicrafts sector, 11 in the services sector, 11 in consulting, and 10 projects involving trade, the ministry said.

Tan is also scheduled to meet with Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

He will also visit the University of Health Sciences, where the Singapore International Foundation and Singapore Health Services are helping Laos upgrade its physiotherapy education programme.

A Lao translation of a book by Singapore’s late founding father Lee Kuan Yew, titled “From Third World to First – The Singapore Story: 1965-2000”, will also be launched during the state visit.

In Vientiane, Tan and his delegation will visit the That Luang stupa and attend a reception for the overseas Singaporean community.

In Luang Prabang, Tan will meet with provincial Governor Khamkhan Chanthavisouk and visit the Royal Palace Museum before returning home.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/aec/30304062