Việt Nam treasures special ties with Laos: high-ranking military officer

Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith (right) warmly received the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) Senior Lieutenant General Trịnh Văn Quyết on Monday in Vientiane. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE — The Vietnamese Party, State, military and people always treasure the special relations with Laos in all circumstances, and bear in mind the valuable support of Laos for the nation during its struggle for national independence in the past and construction and development nowadays, a Vietnamese high-ranking military officer said on Monday.

Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) Senior Lieutenant General Trịnh Văn Quyết made the statement while meeting with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith as part of his visit to the neighbouring country.

Quyết expressed his pleasure over the unceasing development of the bilateral ties over the past time, and took the occasion to thank the Lao side for assisting, and creating favourable conditions for Việt Nam in the search, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during war time in Laos.

He hoped that the Lao leader would continue paying attention to, and facilitating experience sharing between the two defence ministries and militaries in preparation for the organisation of Party congresses at all levels, as well as their support for each other in proposing senior leaders of the two Parties and States policies and measures to enhance the Party’s leadership over the military, and prevent and disable the hostile and reactionary forces’ plot to “depoliticising the army”.

As the two defence ministries are discussing to reach consensus on the organisation of the second Việt Nam-Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange in Sơn La and Huaphanh provinces in October, Quyết said he wishes the Lao leader will support and direct competent ministries, sectors and localities to join hands with the Vietnamese sides to make meticulous preparation for the event.

He took the occasion to congratulate Laos, as the ASEAN Chair 2024, on successfully organising various important conferences, and expressed his belief that Laos will continue successfully hold other events this year, affirming the nation’s position in the international arena. Việt Nam always supports, and accompanies Laos in this particularly important year.

He also said that under the leadership of the LPRP and Sisoulith, Laos will continue carving out achievements in its renewal, successfully concretising the resolution adopted at the LPRP’s 11th congress as well as the socio-economic development plan for the 2021-2025 period, building a Laos of peace, independence, democracy, unity and prosperity in line with the path to socialism.

Sisoulith, for his part, affirmed that Quyết’s visit will make significant contributions to nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, and peoples, while demonstrating the special sentiment between the two peoples, and militaries.

He expressed his delight over the robust development of the bilateral ties in the recent past, with deep political relations playing a key role and shaping up the bilateral relations, and cooperation in other areas becoming more substantive, particularly strategic issues related to the security and development of each nation.

The same day, Quyết and a high-level political delegation from the VPA paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Chansamone Chanyalath. At the event, Quyết suggested the Lao Government, and Chansamone Chanyalath to pen rational mechanisms and policies so that the militaries of both sides could expand cooperation to consolidate the defence cooperation pillar in the bilateral ties, respond to the traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and create favourable conditions for them to bolster collaboration in other sectors.

Earlier the same day, Quyết held talks with Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, Lao Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Lao People’s Army, during which they discussed regional and international issues of mutual concerns, reviewed cooperation between the two sides over the past time, and put forth recommendations for collaboration in the coming time.

Accordingly, they agreed to boost comprehensive, practical and effective cooperation across Party and political work, seeing them as a basis to enhance political trust between the two armies, while concurring to coordinate to effectively carry out the communications and education work, particularly for the young, on the relations between the two countries and militaries.

They also reached consensus on stepping up collaboration across press, communications, and management of social networks, maintaining exchanges of delegations at all levels, working closely to develop high-quality human resources, and accelerating the search and repatriation of the remains of the voluntary soldiers and experts shedding their blood during war time in Laos, among others.

On Monday afternoon, Quyết and the delegation laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to martyrs and heroes in Vientiane.— VNS