Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrives in Hanoi, concluding his working trip to Laos.

According to the special correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency, on the evening of January 10, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation returned to Hanoi, successfully concluding their visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and co-chairing the 47th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee from January 9-10 at the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh leaves Vientiane, concluding his visit to Laos and co-chairing the 47th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

In just 2 days of working in Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had nearly 20 activities with diverse and rich contents. In particular, the Prime Minister had meetings and contacts with all the highest-ranking leaders of the Lao Party, State and National Assembly; visited and met with former high-ranking leaders of Laos.

During the working trip, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone chaired two important events: the 47th Meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee and the Vietnam-Laos Investment Cooperation Conference. The two Prime Ministers also attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Park Project in Vientiane - a gift from the Party, State and People of Vietnam to the Party, State and People of Laos.

The two sides agreed on new policies, approaches, new thinking, new ways of doing things, and higher determination and more effective measures to further develop the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Laos in the coming time.

Along with strengthening foreign political cooperation, promoting security and defense cooperation, enhancing people-to-people exchanges, cultural and educational exchanges, etc., the two sides are determined to soon bring two-way trade turnover to 5 billion USD in a more balanced direction, instead of just over 2.2 billion USD and mainly Laos's trade surplus with Vietnam as at present.

The two sides are also determined to clear up obstacles and completely resolve backlog projects in bilateral relations in recent times, creating momentum for the two sides to enter a new, more practical and effective development phase, especially in transport connectivity projects; at the same time, promoting the removal of difficulties for businesses to invest and do business conveniently, effectively and sustainably in each side...

During the working trip, the two countries signed four cooperation documents; awarded seven investment certificates to businesses; the businesses also signed and awarded six investment cooperation agreements, with a total capital of billions of USD in the fields of aviation, finance, energy, agriculture, human resource training, etc.

Along with that, the two sides announced the framework for local currency payment and bilateral retail payment connection using QR codes between Vietnam and Laos, creating favorable conditions for transactions of businesses and people on both sides in economic, trade, investment, tourism activities...

The visit effectively carried out the foreign affairs tasks set out at the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam; as well as the high-level agreements between Vietnam and Laos, especially at the meeting of the two Politburoes in September 2024; towards 2025 and the coming period, the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos will develop even more strongly.

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