Vietnamese and Lao Prime Ministers meet for the 7th time in less than a year

The official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace on the morning of January 6 marked the 7th time Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone met since January 2023.

Thủ tướng Phạm Minh Chính và Thủ tướng Lào Sonexay Siphandone duyệt đội danh dự - Ảnh: NGUYỄN KHÁNH — *Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone review the honor guard - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH*

On the morning of January 6, at the Presidential Palace, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presided over the official welcoming ceremony for Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. The Lao leader arrived in Hanoi not long before that day. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone from where the car stopped. The Lao leader received a bouquet of fresh flowers from children in Hanoi, then walked with the head of the Vietnamese government on the red carpet to the sound of military music. The two leaders stepped onto the podium together. The military music played the national anthems of the two countries. As soon as the national anthem ended, the leader of the honor guard of the Vietnam People's Army stepped forward, reported and welcomed. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh then invited Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone to inspect the honor guard. The two leaders then introduced themselves and shook hands with officials from both sides. After the solemn welcoming ceremony ended, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone walked together to the Government Office for talks. On the afternoon of January 6, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone met with President Vo Van Thuong and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Thủ tướng Lào Sonexay Siphandone là người đứng đầu chính phủ nước ngoài đầu tiên thăm Việt Nam trong năm 2024 - Ảnh: NGUYỄN KHÁNH — *Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone is the first foreign head of government to visit Vietnam in 2024 - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH*

This is the seventh time the two Prime Ministers have met in their new positions. The first time was when Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid an official visit (January 11 and 12, 2023). The two leaders then met five times at multilateral summits in 2023. Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone's official visit to Vietnam this time took place on January 6 and 7, combined with co-chairing the 46th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. The Lao Prime Minister's choice of Vietnam as one of the first destinations in the new year 2024 shows the importance that this country attaches to the Vietnam-Laos relationship.

"This shows the highest respect of the Lao Party, State and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone personally for Vietnam, and affirms that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos will continue to be stable," Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh emphasized before the visit. 2024 is also an important year for Laos' foreign affairs when the country holds the rotating ASEAN Chair. In meetings and contacts last year, Vietnamese leaders repeatedly affirmed their support for Laos to successfully assume this important responsibility in ASEAN.