Lao General Secretary and President successfully concludes State visit to Vietnam

On the morning of September 12, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife and the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State left Ho Chi Minh City, successfully concluding the State visit to Vietnam.

Photo caption — General Secretary and President of the Lao PDR Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City). Photo: Xuan Khu/VNA

Seeing off the Lao General Secretary and President, his wife and the delegation at Tan Son Nhat International Airport were: Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central External Relations Commission Le Hoai Trung; Deputy Head of the Central External Relations Commission Nguyen Minh Tam.

During his State visit to Vietnam, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife, along with a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State, laid wreaths at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs on Bac Son Street, Hanoi.

At the Presidential Palace, General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife presided over the official welcoming ceremony for General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife and the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State, which was solemnly held according to the highest protocol reserved for heads of state. Immediately after the official welcoming ceremony, General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith. General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. This is an important cooperation mechanism in the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, contributing to strengthening and deepening the special solidarity between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos. General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife hosted a solemn reception to welcome General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife, along with the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State. Within the framework of the State visit to Vietnam, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Manh. During his State visit to Vietnam, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith met with former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; met with former Presidents Nguyen Minh Triet and Truong Tan Sang; and received the delegation of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Friendship Association. General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, along with senior leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam and the Party and State of Laos, met with former volunteer soldiers, experts, Vietnamese students studying in Laos, representatives of the young generation of Vietnam and Lao students studying in Vietnam. General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith visited and worked in Ho Chi Minh City. During the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, the two sides informed each other about the situation of each Party and each country, including Party building, socio-economic development, discussed the international and regional situation and issues of mutual concern; assessed the results of cooperation between the two Parties and countries in the past time, and agreed on major orientations for Vietnam - Laos cooperation in the coming time.

The two General Secretaries and Presidents congratulated the important and historic achievements that the people of the two countries have attained in the renovation process as well as in implementing the Resolution of the Congress of each Party; thanked the wholehearted and sincere assistance that the two Parties, two countries and peoples have given to each other up to now; emphasized the historical tradition of solidarity, close ties and mutual assistance; affirmed that the Vietnam - Laos relationship is a priceless common asset of the two peoples, an objective necessity and the greatest source of strength of the two Parties, two States and peoples, which needs to be continued to be promoted, preserved and passed on to future generations. General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that consistently, the Vietnam - Laos relationship is always a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy. General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith affirmed that in any circumstances, Laos will join Vietnam in consolidating, preserving and nurturing the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos, making it increasingly develop and bear fruit, for the practical interests of the people of each country, for peace, stability and development of the region and the world. General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith expressed their joy and appreciation for the increasingly deep and extensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, achieving practical results in all fields, making an important contribution to socio-economic development, strengthening national defense and security, ensuring political stability and social order and safety of each country; continuing to consolidate and enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. The two leaders also expressed their delight at the increasingly good development of the Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia relationship and attached great importance to and wished to promote the cooperation between the three Parties and three countries, including implementing the results of the meeting between the three leaders of the three Parties as well as other tripartite cooperation mechanisms.

Attending the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone highly appreciated the results of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, trade, investment, culture, education, science and technology. At the same time, they proposed a number of cooperation directions and specific measures to improve the effectiveness of cooperation. The two Prime Ministers emphasized the need to create breakthroughs in economic and trade development to match the stature of political relations and the potential and strengths of each country, focusing on resolving the backlog in cooperation, promoting connectivity and complementarity between the two economies of Vietnam - Laos and between the three economies of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia.

The Lao General Secretary and President hoped that the Lao National Assembly and the Vietnamese National Assembly would continue to exchange and share lessons learned in performing their assigned functions, tasks and powers, making the cooperation between the two legislative bodies of the two countries increasingly effective, contributing to enhancing the position of the National Assembly, worthy of being the highest State power body, the highest representative body of the people of each country. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed that he and the National Assembly will continue to do their best to foster the existing good relationship between Vietnam and Laos in general and between the two National Assemblies in particular, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, constantly consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos. The Leaders of the two Parties and the two countries agreed that in the coming time, it is necessary to actively implement the key orientations agreed upon by the Leaders of the two sides, continue to deepen the political relationship, which is the core of the overall orientation of the cooperative relationship; closely coordinate on strategic issues, together prepare to organize well the Party Congresses at all levels towards the National Congress of each Party; further strengthen and promote the pillars of cooperation in defense and security. The Leaders of the two sides agreed to increase timely information exchange, consultation, close coordination, and mutual support at international and regional forums; effectively implement the Vietnam - Laos Joint Statements and agreements between the two Parties, the two States, cooperation programs between ministries, branches, and localities, enhance connectivity and complementarity between the two economies; take measures to remove difficulties and obstacles, improve the quality and effectiveness of investment cooperation. At the same time, enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between agencies of the Party, State, Fatherland Front, mass organizations, people's organizations, and localities, expand direct cooperation, support each other in socio-economic development, maintain security and stability in border areas. The two sides affirmed the need to promote the effectiveness of existing mechanisms, continue to innovate and create to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in all fields, and at the same time build new appropriate mechanisms to further strengthen the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos, for the practical interests of the people of each country, for peace, cooperation and development of the region and the world. Within the framework of the visit, Ms. Naly Sisoulith, wife of General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, visited Ms. Ngo Thi Man, wife of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and offered incense in memory of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of General Secretary and President To Lam, and Mrs. Naly Sisoulith, wife of General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, visited Birla Children's Village in Hanoi. During the visit, the two sides issued a "Vietnam - Laos Joint Statement". The two sides agreed to continue promoting and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between Party committees, ministries, branches of the Government, agencies of the National Assembly, Fatherland Front, mass organizations, people's organizations and localities of the two countries, especially localities sharing the border. Actively exchange information, share experiences, help and support each other for mutual development; enhance people-to-people exchanges, especially between the young generations of the two countries. The two sides agreed and highly appreciated the good results of the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and the State visit to Laos by Comrade To Lam in his capacity as President in July 2024, which are milestones in the history of Vietnam - Laos relations, contributing significantly to consolidating and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to new heights, for the prosperity of the people of the two countries, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Diep Truong (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-tri/tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-nuoc-lao-ket-thuc-tot-dep-chuyen-tham-cap-nha-nuoc-den-viet-nam-20240913102051991.htm