Sounthon Xayachak, member of the LPRP Central Committee and head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.

Laos-Vietnam special ties to continue developing: Lao party official

VIENTIANE (Vietnam News) -- The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Laos and Vietnam have grown unceasingly in both scale and depth despite complicated developments in the region and around the world, said a senior official of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).
Sounthon Xayachak, member of the LPRP Central Committee and head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, made the statement in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of an official visit to Laos by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trọng, slated for Sunday and Monday.
The official underlined that bilateral political cooperation had been deepened and mutual trust strengthened through the regular exchange of official and unofficial visits by Party, State, parliament leaders and officials of localities, agencies and sectors of both countries. Bilateral economic collaboration had also made significant progress, with Vietnam among the top investors in Laos and bilateral trade value rising year after year. The two countries also promoted cooperation in external affairs, defence-security, education-sport, culture, healthcare, transport, science-technology, agriculture and other fields in a practical and result-oriented manner, which contributed greatly to Laos’ socio-economic development.
Sounthon Xayachak stressed that the Lao Party and State were honoured for Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trọng to select Laos as the first country to visit after taking office as President of Vietnam.
She added that the choice was not surprising considering the close friendship, the special solidarity and the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
“We believe that the Lao visit of the Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President will be a success and provide a good opportunity for the highest leaders of the two Parties and States to discuss partnerships in all areas, thus lifting our special ties to a new height,” she said.

(Latest Update February 25, 2019)