General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired a high-level meeting between the two Parties in Vientiane on December 2.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam (left) and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith at the high-level meeting between the two Parties in Vientiane on December 2.

The meeting is the highest-level cooperation mechanism that holds special significance to guiding and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos in a substantive manner, thereby generating practical benefits for the two peoples and contributing to regional and global peace, security, and prosperity.

The two leaders briefed each other on the situations of their respective Parties and countries; reviewed outstanding achievements in bilateral cooperation; discussed mechanisms to create breakthroughs in the Vietnam – Laos relationship in the new context; and exchanged views on some international and regional issues of common concern.

General Secretary To Lam congratulated the Lao Party and State on the successful organisation of the 50th National Day celebration, stressing that Vietnam always attaches importance to developing the relations with Laos and considers this as the top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

For his part, the top Lao leader highlighted that the presence of high-ranking leaders from the Vietnamese Party and State gave this year’s Lao National Day celebration greater significance.

The two leaders highly valued the significant, comprehensive, and historic achievements obtained by the two Parties, States, and peoples, particularly in implementing the countries' respective Party Congress resolutions and preparing for their upcoming National Party Congresses.

They expressed gratitude to each other's Parties, countries, and peoples for the wholehearted and sincere mutual assistance throughout history, and reaffirmed the importance of the special Vietnam – Laos relationship amid the fast and complex regional and international developments.

They expressed their satisfaction with the intensive, extensive, effective, and substantive progress in Vietnam – Laos cooperation.

Looking back on major cooperation results over the pat year, General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith emphasised that the two sides have successfully implemented the high-level agreements between the two Parties and States; while ministries, sectors, all-level authorities, and businesses of the countries have proactively carried out the memoranda of understanding on cooperation between the two Parties, States, and Governments in an active, effective, and practical manner.

He affirmed that the strong political ties continue to serve as a solid foundation and create motivation for stronger cooperation across all fields.

The two sides praised the increasingly tightened and effective defence – security cooperation, recognising it as an important pillar of the bilateral relations.

The countries have coordinated in successfully implementing many projects to help Laos strengthen its defence and security capacity, and carried out cooperation plans and programmes in a high-quality and fruitful manner.

They have also properly conducted the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos during wartime.

Additionally, the two sides have enhanced coordination with Cambodia to organise the trilateral meeting among the Party leaders, reaching consensus on long-term development directions and giving the top priority to the close and strategically significant relationship among the three countries.

The two leaders also noted that economic, trade, and investment cooperation has been actively promoted and shown improvements while key joint projects progressed on schedule, thus contributing to better life quality for the two peoples.

Cultural, educational, and scientific-technical exchanges have continued to advance with tangible results. Cooperation between the two Parties' commissions, ministries, and Government agencies of Vietnam and Laos, together with people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges, has been fostered.

They stressed that the comprehensive cooperation between the two nations has greatly contributed to socio-economic development, national defence – security, as well as political stability and social order and safety in each country.

Amid a volatile regional and global context, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to further strengthening and deepening the “great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion” between Vietnam and Laos through the existing practical and effective cooperation mechanisms.

They will also establish new mechanisms agreed upon by high-ranking leaders, thereby actively helping with the realisation of the development goals of each county.

The two sides affirmed their commitment to further deepening the relationship between the two Parties and countries, viewing it as the core pillar strategically guiding the Vietnam – Laos comprehensive cooperation.

They reiterated the consistent policy of standing shoulder to shoulder, and supporting each other in the national renewal, construction, and defence process.

They stressed that the Vietnam – Laos relationship is always the top priority in each country’s foreign policy, representing an exemplary and long-term strategic relationship and a decisive factor in the success of each nation’s revolutionary cause.

They pledged to closely coordinate in strategic issues related to security and development, while jointly preparing for the successful organisation of their respective national Party congresses.

The two underlined and affirmed the strategic importance of further enhancing the pillar of defence, security, and diplomatic cooperation to firmly maintain political – security stability and social order, calling this as one of the important pillars of the special bilateral ties.

They promised to continue optimising the existing cooperation mechanisms while reforming and improving coordination in all aspects. Given this, they will consider establishing new and suitable cooperation mechanisms to further strengthen the special Vietnam – Laos solidarity, bring tangible benefits to their peoples, and contribute to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

The two leaders also agreed that their countries will continue timely information exchange, consult on stances, coordinate closely, and support each other at international and regional forums.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone highly valued the achievements in economic, trade, investment, cultural – educational, and scientific – technical cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to step up trade and investment links, viewing this as a crucial pillar of the Vietnam – Laos strategic cohesion. They pledged to effectively implement the joint statements, high-level agreements, and cooperation programmes between their ministries, agencies, and localities; enhance economic connectivity and complementarities; and actively resolve difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process.

The two sides also discussed specific directions and measures to enhance economic and trade partnerships in the coming period, emphasising the need for a strong and breakthrough shift to make economic, trade, and investment collaboration a pillar of the strategic cohesion, commensurate with the political relationship and the potential of each country.

They agreed to fuel bilateral trade with the near-term turnover target of 5 billion USD and a longer-term target of 10 billion USD.

Priority will be given to resolving outstanding problems and strengthening connectivity, with a focus on mobilising resources for key infrastructure connectivity projects such as the Hanoi – Vientiane Expressway, the Vietnam – Laos industrial zone model, and the cross-border economic zone model along the East – West economic corridor.

In addition, Vietnam and Laos will expand cooperation between their Party and State agencies, Front cooperation, mass organisations, and people’s organisations.

They will strengthen coordination and mutual support in socio-economic development, as well as in ensuring security and stability in border areas, thus contributing to the special relationship between the two countries.

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