At the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse began their State visit to Vietnam on September 10. 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith at the welcome ceremony in Hanoi on September 10. (Photo: NDO)

The LPRP Central Committee General Secretary and President of Laos is the first foreign party and state leader to be officially received by Party General Secretary and President To Lam in his capacity as General Secretary, reflecting the special importance that the leaders of both parties and nations place on the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

This visit takes place in the context that the bilateral relationship between the two countries continues to be strengthened and developed. The close and trustworthy political relationship has been reinforced, playing a central role in guiding the overall relations between the two countries. Both sides have closely cooperated on strategic issues related to security and development, improving the effectiveness of cooperative mechanisms and achieving many significant results.

The high-level meetings between the leaders of the two parties and nations, along with reciprocal visits by senior leaders and leaders of various ministries, departments, and local authorities, have been well-coordinated, further deepening the bilateral relationship. Notably, President To Lam's state visit to Laos in July provided new momentum for bilateral relations by promoting the implementation of high-level agreements between the two sides.

As a key pillar of the Vietnam-Laos relationship, cooperation in defence, security, and foreign affairs has been maintained and developed. Both sides have closely coordinated and supported each other in maintaining political stability, ensuring national defence, security, social order and safety in both countries. Cooperation in economics, trade, and investment has also seen noteworthy achievements.

Bilateral trade turnover in the first seven months of 2024 reached approximately 1.1 billion USD, a 16.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Vietnam currently has 256 investment projects in Laos, with total capital of around 5.5 billion USD, many of which have made positive contributions to Laos' socio-economic development. Cooperation in education, training, and human resource development has been improved in both quality and quantity. Collaboration between ministries, departments, fronts, mass organisations, and localities of the two countries continues to play an increasingly important role.

In addition to efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia have been enhancing trilateral cooperation by effectively utilising existing mechanisms and introducing new frameworks for collaboration between the three nations.

This recent visit marks a significant milestone in the Vietnam-Laos relationship, reaffirming the consistent policy of both countries to prioritise their special relationship, as agreed upon by their top leaders.

The visit also underscores the comprehensive and strong support of both Vietnam and Laos for each other's efforts in national renewal, safeguarding, and development. It also reflects their commitment to successfully implementing the resolutions of their respective party congresses and preparing for the upcoming 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 12th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

Moreover, the visit is expected to further deepen the mutual understanding and political trust between the two parties and nations, reinforcing the bonds between the general secretaries and presidents of Vietnam and Laos, as well as other senior leaders from both sides.

Offering a sincere and respectful welcome to LPRP General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse, Vietnam expresses its desire to strengthen relations with Laos as well as expand and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation through all channels and in every field.

In the context that the complicated situations in the world and region are affecting the security and development environment, the visit also aims to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in multilateral organisations and forums, especially ASEAN, international economic linkages, and issues of mutual concern.

May the State visit to Vietnam by the LPRP General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse be a success, contributing to bringing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to new heights and in a more profound, effective, and practical manner, towards bringing prosperity to the people of both nations and making contributions to the peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

(Source: NDO)