VIENTIANE: Laos has designated the section of the wartime Phou Luang-Ho Chi Minh Trail that passed through the country as a national historical heritage site, highlighting its vital role in the struggle for the liberation of Vietnam and the special solidarity that endures between the two countries.
A ceremony to announce Laos’ official recognition of the wartime supply trail as a site of historical significance and worthy of preservation took place in Vientiane recently.
The event was attended by Vice President Pany Yathotou; her Vietnamese counterpart, Vo Thi Anh Xuan; Minister of National Defence Lieutenant General Khamlieng Outhakaysone; Deputy Minister of National Defence Lieutenant General Vongsone Inpanphim; Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Darany Phommavongsa; and other government leaders from Laos and Vietnam.
Lt. Gen. Vongsone said authorities in both countries conducted joint surveys to document sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. These were identified in Khamkeuth district, Bolikhamxay province and in the provinces of Khammuan, Savannakhet, Salavan, Xekong, Attapeu and Champasak.
The survey identified and recorded 18 key sites for preservation as forms of historical heritage linked to the Lao and Vietnamese liberation movements.
The section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail that passed through Laos was not only a critical supply route for the Vietnamese military, but also a strategic stronghold that played a decisive role in the struggle for liberation, ultimately leading to victory.
The trail, which passed through Laos and Cambodia, was also a battleground for the armies of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia and is now viewed as a legacy of wartime solidarity and the special bond between Laos and Vietnam.
In light of this significance, Lao and Vietnamese authorities began documenting historical traces along the Phou Luang-Ho Chi Minh Trail in 2023 and completed the survey in 2024, according to Lao National Radio. - Vientiane Times/ANN
