Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised the Vietnamese Government's determination to soon complete ongoing cooperation projects between Vietnam and Laos, and begin new ones while receiving Lao Deputy PM Saleumxay Kommasith in Han﷽oi on February 25.

The Vietnamese leader highly appreciated the Lao government for assigning Deputy PM Saleumxay and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane to attend and deliver speeches at key sessions of the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, saying that this reflects Laos's commitment and interest in this important multilateral event hosted by Vietnam in 2025. He said with the active participation and valuable contributions of the Lao officials and other international delegations, the forum will continue to serve as an incubator of ideas for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in its new development phase, and contribute to building a united and resilient ASEAN Community. Now more than ever, ASEAN must strengthen its solidarity, self-reliance, and resilience to ensure the bloc’s prosperous development for the benefit of its people, PM Chinh stated. He recalled the successful meeting of the three Parties’ top leaders of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, as well as the meeting of the three nation’s prime ministers to grasp the conclusions of the high-level meeting that ended last week, and the 47th meeting of the Vietnam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee (January 9, 2025), which produced concrete results. PM Chinh highlighted the commitment of both sides to seriously, effectively, and decisively implement the agreements reached during the meeting between the two Politburos and the bilateral cooperation plan for 2025, noting that it is necessary to explore new ways to boost all-around cooperation from politics, foreign affairs, security and defence to investment, trade, transport connectivity, culture, education, healthcare, and science – technology. For his part, Deputy PM Saleumxay showed his honour and pleasure in representing Lao PM Sonesay Siphandone at the AFF 2025. He hailed Vietnam’s initiative in organising the second AFF, which, over the past two years, has affirmed Vietnam’s role in promoting peace and cooperation in the region, attracting the participation not only from ASEAN countries but also from many others across the region and the world. The Lao Deputy PM thanked the Vietnamese Government for prioritising strengthening the special Vietnam-Laos relations, as well as the sincere support of PM Chinh and Vietnam in general for Laos in recent times. As the Deputy PM in charge of economic affairs, he reaffirmed his determination to work closely with the Vietnamese side to actively implement directions and commitments of the two countries’ top leaders, focusing on exploring new approaches and maintaining strong determination in implementing key cooperation projects. The two sides expressed their belief that the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos will continue to flourish and obtain even greater achievements./.