Việt Nam, Laos giving highest priority to their special relations: State leaders

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith welcomes President Tô Lâm to their talks in Vientiane, Laos on Thursday.  — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

VIENTIANE — Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Thongloun Sisoulith had official talks in Vientiane in Laos on Thursday.

Congratulating Tô Lâm on his new position, the Lao leader remarked that Laos being the first country to visit since becoming President, demonstrates the importance that the Party, the State of Việt Nam and himself personally place on the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos.

The Lao leader affirmed his readiness to work with the Vietnamese counterpart to further develop the unique and increasingly sustainable and effective relationship between the two countries. He sincerely thanked Việt Nam for its support during Laos’ struggle for national independence and its ongoing support in its current building and development efforts.

The Lao leader conveyed his warmest regards and best wishes to the Vietnamese top leaders and congratulated Việt Nam on its significant socio-economic and diplomatic achievements, which have affirmed Việt Nam’s strong international reputation and position.

President Tô Lâm expressed his pleasure at making his first State visit to Laos in his new position.

He conveyed the warmest regards and best wishes of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, the senior leaders and all officials, party members and people of Laos.

President Tô Lâm said he highly appreciated the significant and comprehensive achievements that the Party, Government and people of Laos have attained in their renewal and nation-building efforts, expressing confidence that Laos will soon overcome its difficulties and challenges to successfully achieve the goals set by the 11th National Party Congress and successfully organise the 12th congress.

The Vietnamese leader thanked Laos for its sincere, pure friendship and valuable support for Việt Nam’s cause of national building and defence. 

After updating each other on the socio-economic situation in each country, the two leaders expressed their pleasure at the positive development of their great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation. 

Both sides agreed to maintain regular high-level exchanges and contacts, effectively using important bilateral cooperation mechanisms and continuing to maintain and promote the highest level of close political trust. 

Defence and security cooperation is increasingly close and effective, playing a crucial role in the relationship between the two countries.

Economic cooperation is being actively promoted, with trade and investment continuing to be bright spots. Việt Nam remains one of Laos’ top trade and investment partners. At the same time, both sides have been striving to resolve key difficulties and obstacles in several major projects. Cooperation in the fields of culture, society, education, sports, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between localities, especially between border provinces, continues to be strengthened, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

The two leaders exchanged candid views on the directions and measures to promote cooperation in various fields, and stressed that in the context of the current complex global and regional situation, the two countries need to increase consultations, exchange experiences, coordinate and support each other to overcome challenges and difficulties and to jointly build an independent, self-reliant economy with deep international integration.

The Vietnamese, Lao leaders reaffirmed the consistent policy of both countries to always prioritise and give the highest importance to consolidating and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos; continue to focus on effectively implementing high-level agreements between the two countries and between ministries, central and local agencies.

The two sides agreed to strengthen consultations on strategic issues, promote exchanges of high-level visits and contacts at all levels and review and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms.

The two also touched on the need to intensify education on the historical tradition of the special Việt Nam-Laos relationship for the people of both countries, especially the younger generation.

To incorporate the contents of the ‘History of the Special Việt Nam-Laos Relationship’ into the education system of each country, coordinate the construction of historical works and monuments about the Việt Nam-Laos relationship, including the Laos-Việt Nam Friendship Park in Vientiane.

Both sides also agreed to strengthen the pillar of security-defence cooperation to jointly address new challenges, continue to coordinate and support each other in ensuring political stability, security, order and social safety in each country, effectively implement the agreements between the defence and public security ministries of both countries.

Việt Nam and Laos will closely coordinate in managing and protecting the border, especially in preventing and combating transnational crimes, drug crimes, illegal exploitation of natural resources, and illegal immigration.

They will continue to effectively coordinate in the search, exhumation and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives in Laos and the restoration of Việt Nam-Laos combat alliance monuments.

Both sides agreed to elevate economic cooperation to match the stature of the political relationship; increase exchanges of macroeconomic management and anti-corruption experiences, upgrade international border gates and transportation connections between the two countries, continuously improve the effectiveness of cooperation in education and training, tourism, energy, clean agriculture, science, technology, health, culture, people-to-people exchanges and between localities.

The two leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern. They concurred that in the current rapidly and complexly changing global and regional situation, both sides need to strengthen information sharing, coordination, and cooperation in regional and international forums and to ensure solidarity and promote the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

President Tô Lâm said that, in the spirit of fraternal comradeship, Việt Nam will wholeheartedly support Laos in successfully undertaking important international responsibilities in 2024, including the roles of ASEAN Chair and AIPA President.

President Tô Lâm reaffirmed the invitation for General Secretary, President Thongloun Sisoulith, to visit Việt Nam at a convenient time, and the Lao leader has gladly accepted the invitation.

Vietnamese President Tô Lâm (left) and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between the two sides following their talks in Vientiane. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

After the talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents. These included a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security of Laos on building and implementing a residency and citizen identification management system in Laos.

Additionally, there was an Extradition Agreement between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Laos, the 2024 Cooperation Plan between the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam and the Ministry of Justice of Laos, an Agreement to enhance air transport connectivity between Vietnam and Laos signed by the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Vietjet, along with several agreements between enterprises of the two countries.

The two leaders also attended the ceremony to launch the project ‘Implementing the Residency and Citizen Identification Management System in the Lao PDR’, which is of special importance in Laos’ progress towards building a digital government and a digital nation. This project demonstrates the special Việt Nam-Laos friendship. 

President Tô Lâm also presented a gift of 20 VinFast VF9 electric cars from the Party, State and people of Việt Nam to the Party, State, and people of Laos, to support the country in successfully organising important activities during its ASEAN Chairmanship year in 2024. — VNS

President Tô Lâm presents to Lao leader Thongloun Sisoulith a gift of 20 Vinfast VF9 cars to Laos for the country to use during its 2024 ASEAN Chairmanship. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng