On July 9, Vietnam and Laos will hold a grand ceremony to celebrate the completion of border marker planting and the inauguration of border marker No.406 at the Thanh Thuy border gate. The upcoming celebration will significantly contribute to improving the efficiency of border management, ensuring security and defense, boosting socio-economic development and building a borderline of peace, friendship, stability and cooperation. Vietnam and Laos have 2,067 km common borderline shared by 20 provinces, ten on each side. On July 18 1977, the two countries signed a border demarcation treaty for the 1978-1987 period under which they were committed to finalizing the planting of 214 land border markers in 119 places. The result was recognized in the protocol on border demarcation and border marker planting signed by the two neighbours in October 1987. In 2003, both sides completed a project to draw a 1:50,000 scale map of the Vietnam-Lao borderline. To meet the growing demand for trade exchanges between residents in border areas, Vietnam and Laos have upgraded the existing border gates with modern facilities to local boost socio-economic development To reinforce the national border marker system, they have agreed to implement the land border marker planting and upgrading project for the 2008-2014 period. The project is another proof of the growing friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. The two sides will adjust the border map, compile a new protocol on the borderline and finish legal documents recognizing the border marker planting achievements in 2014. VOV