Vientiane (VNA) - President To Lam’s upcoming state visit to Laos, his first trip abroad after taking office in June, shows the Vietnamese Party and State's consistent policy on attaching great importance and giving the highest priority to reinforcing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s resident correspondents in Vientiane ahead of the visit, spanning from July 11-12, the diplomat noted that the visit is to take place at a time when the two Parties and two countries are implementing their resolutions and socio-economic development plans, and the Vietnam-Laos relationship is growing strongly with the effective realisation of agreements, joint statements and cooperation deals.

The visit will provide a chance for President Lam and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith as well as other leaders of Laos to review and evaluate the cooperative relations between the two Parties and two countries over the years.

They will discuss and agree on major orientations, policies and measures to promote the comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and two countries in 2024 and the following years in a deep and effective direction, and exchange views on the world and regional situation and the coordination between the two sides at forums and in the settlement of regional and international issues relating to each country and the bilateral relations, he said.

Through the visit, the Party and State of Vietnam want to send out to the world the message about the special, faithful, loyal, and unique Vietnam-Laos relationship, affirming the country’s determination to work with Laos to bring the bilateral ties to a new height, said Hung, revealing that during the visit, the two sides will sign a number of important cooperation agreements.

Regarding measures to continue to maintain and promote the special ties between the two countries and bring practical benefits to the people of both countries, the ambassador held that the two sides should continue to stand side by side and strengthen fruitful collaboration, while focusing on major priorities.

First, they should continue to make bilateral political relations deeper by effectively implementing high-level agreements, enhancing the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms between senior leaders of the two sides, and improving the common perception on the significance of the Vietnam-Laos special ties among Vietnamese and Lao people, the diplomat underlined.

Second, it is necessary to accelerate bilateral economic cooperation by expanding and upgrading the East-West transport system and deploying synchronous cooperation mechanisms and special policies to optimise resources and provide the best conditions for businesses and people of the two sides in business and investment activities, while settling obstacles via breakthrough measures, promoting new cooperation models such as the Vietnam-Laos Plus 1 cooperation, thus making full use of the potential and strengths of the two countries and optimising partners’ capacity in terms of capital, experience and technology, he said, adding that the two sides should bring into full play free trade agreements to further increase the efficiency of their trade, market expansion and investment attraction activities, Hung said.

ꦗ Third, it is crucial to concentrate on the quality and efficiency of human resources development to meet each country’s development requirements and contribute to fostering the close bond and solidarity between the two countries' people, he said./.