Hanoi, July 16 -- Vietnam and Laos have agreed to step up cooperation in finance, agriculture, natural resources and environmental management, with a focus on sustainable agricultural development, forest protection and green energy. Receiving a delegation from Laos's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment led by Minister Linkham Douangsavanh in Hanoi on July 16, Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan briefed the Lao side on Vietnam's socio-economic performance, noting that the country's agriculture sector expanded by about 4.8% in the first half of 2026, continuing to underpin the economy amid broader challenges. He welcomed the progress in bilateral cooperation and proposed prioritising joint work on land planning and classification, irrigation ...