The high-level delegation of Vientiane Capital visiting and learning about the operation of Hue City Public Administrative Service Center

Permanent Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Binh warmly welcomed and worked with the high-level delegation of Vientiane Capital, expressing confidence that this visit would further strengthen the special traditional friendship between Laos and Vietnam in general, between Lao localities and Hue City in particular.

The Permanent Vice Chairman briefed the delegation on several recent outstanding achievements of Hue City. He noted that the city is focusing on developing specific programs and plans to synchronously and effectively implement the Action Program for the Resolution of the 17th City Party Congress, term 2025 - 2030. In particular, the city is adjusting the Urban Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period with a vision to 2050, with the overarching goal of building Hue into four key centers: education and training; culture and tourism; science and technology; and specialized healthcare.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh proposed that both sides continue exchanging delegations at various levels to share experiences and support training, contributing to mutual development. At the same time, both should study cooperation in trade and investment promotion; diversify export products; and increase opportunities for goods exchange between Hue City and Vientiane Capital, thereby consolidating and developing the comprehensive friendship, solidarity, and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, as well as between Hue and Vientiane.

The Permanent Vice Chairman also proposed that Vientiane Capital facilitate favorable conditions for Hue workers to live and work in accordance with regulations; coordinate the enrollment and training of Lao students at universities in Hue; strengthen joint tourism promotion and publicity; organize cultural and tourism exchange activities during the Hue Festival; encourage businesses on both sides to develop inter-regional tours linking Hue - the Central Region - Vientiane; and collaborate on training human resources for tourism and exchanging experiences.

 Leaders of Hue City and the high-level delegation of Vientiane Capital posing for a commemorative photo

In response, Comrade Tha Nong Xay Khut Phay Thun expressed appreciation for the warm reception by Hue City, highly valued the city’s achievements and development orientations, and affirmed that Vientiane Capital wishes to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation, particularly in learning from Hue’s experience in building and operating the Public Administrative Service Center (PASC), developing a smart city, and promoting substantive and effective exchanges and cooperation between the two localities.

Introducing the PASC model, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh said that the city currently has one city-level PASC under the City People’s Committee Office and 40 PASCs under the People’s Committees of wards and communes. After eight years of operation, the city-level PASC has affirmed its role in standardizing, publicizing, and ensuring transparency in administrative procedure settlement processes, while improving service efficiency for citizens and businesses. Supervision is conducted regularly; the application of information technology, online public services, and integration with the National Public Service Portal has helped shorten processing time, reduce costs, and promote digital transformation within Hue City administrative apparatus.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged and shared experiences in organizing and operating the PASC for administrative procedure settlement under the “one-stop” mechanism, as well as in building a smart city.

By THAI BINH