Laos, Vietnam reaffirm strong bonds of friendship

The leaders of Laos and Vietnam have expressed their desire to strengthen their solidarity, further boost cooperation, and step up their shared development efforts across numerous sectors.  
These sentiments were voiced when the Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the President of Laos, Mr Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife and a high-level delegation travelled to Hanoi on Tuesday at the invitation of Vietnam’s President To Lam.

President Thongloun Sisoulith (left) meets with Vietnamese President To Lam at the start of his official visit to Hanoi on Tuesday.–Photo Pasaxon

The Lao delegation is making an official visit to Vietnam from September 10 to 13 for talks with President To, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
A welcome ceremony for the Lao delegation took place at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi.  
President Thongloun expressed his pleasure at meeting President To only two months after their previous talks and congratulated him on his appointment as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee by the 13th Ordinary Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee on September 3.
The President said he highly valued Laos’ close and brotherly relationship with the Party, government and people of Vietnam.
The two presidents plan to encourage the growth of the relationship, solidarity and cooperation between the parties, governments and peoples Laos and Vietnam, with the aim of more fruitful outcomes.
They hope to spur cooperation in political and foreign affairs and the fields of defence and public security, as well as tourism, energy, agriculture, trade and communication.
Their talks will centre on ways to strengthen cooperation mechanisms and facilitate investment in each other’s country, with a focus on encouraging private sector investment in green agriculture, mining operations, energy, technology, tourism, and the production of goods.
President Thongloun said he was confident that the Party, government and people of Vietnam, under the leadership of President To, will strengthen their solidarity and build Vietnam as a modern and industrialised country whose citizens enjoy prosperity, and where democracy and justice are ensured.  
 The two delegations gave summaries of their recent social and economic developments, reviewed past cooperation between Laos and Vietnam, and outlined their hopes for future areas of shared development.
They exchanged opinions on current situations of note in the region and other parts of the world and reiterated their desire to further expand the great relationship, solidarity and cooperation between the parties, governments and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, boosted by frequent reciprocal visits by the countries’ leaders.
Talks also covered cooperation in politics, national defence and public security, as well as peace and sustainable development along the two countries’ shared border.
In terms of two-way trade, which the Lao and Vietnamese governments hope to boost, the value of trade as of July this year was estimated at US$1.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 17 percent compared to 2023.
It was also noted that cooperation in technology, culture, social connections and education is growing on a daily basis.
This year, the Vietnamese government provided 1,120 scholarships to Lao government officials and other individuals for short- and long-term courses of study in Vietnam.
The two presidents agreed to uphold agreements entered into between their ministries and other entities at the central and local levels of government.
These include agreements relating to strategic cooperation projects, development of a port, a planned expressway between Vientiane and Hanoi, construction of a railway to Vietnam from Vientiane through Khammuan province, construction of an electricity generating plant in Xekong province, a salt mine in Khammuan province, agricultural development in Vientiane, and other projects.
President Thongloun offered best wishes on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of Vietnam’s national day on September 2 and the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Laos and Vietnam.
He also expressed sincere appreciation for the support provided to Laos by the Party, government and people of Vietnam during the struggle for national liberation.
In addition, the Lao President acknowledged Vietnam’s most recent forms of assistance including the construction of Nongkhang airport, citizen registration and the provision of identity cards, a drug rehabilitation centre, and the country’s support for Laos’ chairmanship of ASEAN this year.      

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update September 11, 2024)