Vientiane (VNA)ꩵ – Vietnamese State Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on August 21 paid courtesy calls on General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone as part of her two-day official visit to Laos.

At the meetings, Xuan expressed her delight to pay an official visit to Laos and extended her sincere thanks for the warm reception. She conveyed the best regards and wishes of good health from Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the Lao leaders. She congratulated Laos on the significant achievements it has recorded after nearly four decades of reform, and voiced her confidence that under the sound leadership of the LPRP, headed by General Secretary and President Thongloun, Laos will successfully realise the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress and organise the 12th National Party Congress, thereby building a more prosperous and thriving nation. Xuan briefed the Lao leaders on Vietnam’s recent situation and informed them of her substantive and effective talks with Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou, during which the two sides reached high consensus on measures to further advance their special relationship. Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening communication and education on the Vietnam – Laos traditional friendship, particularly among the young generations of the two nations. The Vice President stressed that under the direct guidance of the Politburos of the two Parties, especially the two General Secretaries, and together with the joint efforts of ministries and sectors, many strategic cooperation projects have been implemented in a short time, marking new breakthroughs in the bilateral relations. Xuan highly appreciated Laos’s decision to recognise the Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail on the Lao territory as a national historic relic site, affirming the shared historical values and the enduring solidarity between the two countries. She also thanked the Lao Government for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to stably live, do business and ensure their legal status. Thongloun warmly welcomed and highly evaluated Xuan's official visit, saying that it contributes importantly to strengthening political trust and nurturing the special relations between the two countries. He congratulated Vietnam on its recent historic socio-economic achievements, and spoke highly of the positive results of bilateral cooperation across fields, especially in the implementation of strategic projects. The Lao leader expressed profound gratitude to Vietnam for its longstanding support to Laos, highlighting Vietnam’s assistance in human resources training for Laos through projects of great symbolic significance for the special Vietnam–Laos relationship. He agreed on the direction of cooperation in all fields, emphasising that the two sides should continue to closely coordinate to effectively implement high-level agreements between the two Parties and two States.

At a meeting with the Vietnamese Vice President, Lao PM Siphandone stressed the need for both sides to continue close coordination and enhance economic connectivity, particularly through infrastructure, finance, and banking links, as well as policy coordination, so as to make economic cooperation a central pillar of Vietnam–Laos special relations. He suggested that the two countries work closely to find solutions to boost economic cooperation and increase bilateral trade.

Later the same day, Vice President Xuan held talks with her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou. The two leaders informed each other about the situation in each Party and country, and reviewed bilateral cooperation in recent years. They agreed that collaboration between the two nations has flourished across politics, security, national defence, economy, trade, investment, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. They highlighted that frequent mutual visits and attendance at major celebrations in each country by high-ranking Party, State, Government, and National Assembly leaders serve as vivid evidence of the enduring solidarity, trust, and loyalty between the two peoples. Vice President Yathotou particularly valued the close coordination in ensuring security and order, as well as the joint efforts to secure UNESCO recognition of Hin Namno National Park as a transboundary World Natural Heritage site, describing it as a victory for the special Laos–Vietnam solidarity. The two sides agreed to effectively implement high-level agreements, ensure progress on key cooperation projects, and strive to elevate cooperation. They pledged to strengthen both connectivity in both infrastructure and mechanisms and policies, working towards the goal of raising bilateral trade to 5 billion USD. They will also provide incentives for major Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Laos. Security and defence cooperation will also be strengthen, with a focus on combating transnational, drug, and cyber crimes. Both sides will continue cooperation in searching for and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos, as well as in maintaining monuments dedicated to the combat alliance of the two countries. Both officials underlined that, in the face of complex regional and international challenges, Vietnam and Laos must maintain close coordination, harmonise positions, and support each other, especially within the frameworks of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations, and other sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, thereby contributing actively to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world./.