Myanmar's President U Htin Kyaw (L, 2nd Row) and visiting Laos' President Bounnhang Vorachitch (R, 2nd Row) inspect the guard of honor at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Aug. 5, 2016. Myanmar and Laos entered into an agreement on Friday for management of the first ever Friendship Bridge between the two countries during the meeting between Myanmar's new President U Htin Kyaw and his counterpart Bounnhang Vorachitch. (Xinhua/Soe Than Lynn)
NAY PYI TAW, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and Laos entered into an agreement on Friday for management of the first ever Friendship Bridge between the two countries during the meeting between Myanmar's new President U Htin Kyaw and his counterpart Bounnhang Vorachitch.
President Vorachith arrived in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday morning for a visit at the invitation of Myanmar's President U Htin Kyaw. President Vorachith's visit is the third head of state level to Myanmar after Mongolia and Singapore.
The bridge which links Myanmar's Tachileik in eastern Shan state and Laos'Luang Namtha Province across Mekong River was inaugurated by the then presidents of both countries. The bridge was opened in May last year.
The idea of constructing the 691.6 meter-long Myanmar-Laos Friendship Bridge worth of 26 million U.S. dollars was first raised during an earlier visit to Myanmar by Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in July 2011 and the project started in February 2013.
During the talks of the two presidents, they has also highlighted the continuation of bilateral discussion and mutual visit, holding bilateral commission meeting and meeting of Myanmar-Laos border authorities in September this year, cooperation on border affairs, repairing boundary pillars and starting direct flights for Yangon-Vientiane and Luang Prabang- Bagan, reconsidering enacting agreements and promoting bilateral ties and cooperation on regional and international affairs.
U Htin Kyaw paid a visit to Laos in early May, accompanied by State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, as his very first official visit abroad.
