The upcoming visit of Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife is one of the important milestones in the history of Vietnam-Laos relations, bringing the relationship between the two countries to new heights.
Tomorrow (September 10), Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife Naly Sisoulith will pay a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly.
LIVING PROOF OF GREAT FRIENDSHIP
Deputy Head of the Central External Relations Commission Nguyen Minh Tam said that the visit to Vietnam by Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith is the second visit since the beginning of the 11th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and follows the State visit to Laos by General Secretary and President To Lam in his capacity as President.
This is a vivid demonstration of the good and deep feelings of the great friendship, special solidarity, close attachment, loyalty and purity between the two Parties, two States and peoples of the two countries.
President To Lam and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith during their visit to Laos last July. Photo: VNA
The Deputy Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission emphasized that the visit is one of the important milestones in the history of relations between the two countries.
Vietnam-Laos relations have achieved many outstanding results in recent times. Political relations have been strengthened and increasingly deepened, becoming closer and more trustworthy, playing a core role and guiding the overall relationship between the two countries.
The two sides always affirmed that “the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is a priceless common asset of the two Parties and two peoples, an objective necessity, a historical law and the greatest source of strength of the two countries, which needs to be preserved, promoted and passed on to future generations”.
In the first 8 months of the year, the two sides exchanged more than 100 delegations at all levels and signed many cooperation documents.
“The late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and key leaders regularly paid attention to directing, strengthening political trust, and improving the effectiveness of cooperation in all fields,” said the Deputy Head of the Central External Relations Commission.
Vietnam and Laos strengthen theoretical exchanges and share experiences in Party building, political system, socio-economic development, and ensuring macroeconomic stability...
Defense and security cooperation is one of the important pillars. The two countries continue to ensure security, maintain peaceful borders, social order and safety in each country; closely cooperate in preventing and combating “peaceful evolution”, “violent overthrow”, transnational crimes, especially drug-related crimes.
Vietnam and Laos also cooperate to search for, collect and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos who died during the war.
Vietnam closely coordinates and supports Laos in terms of materials, equipment and experience to help Laos successfully assume the role of ASEAN Chair and AIPA Chair in 2024. At the United Nations, the two countries closely coordinate and support each other on many issues.
During his visit to Laos in July, General Secretary and President To Lam drove an electric car carrying Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith. Vietnam donated 20 electric cars to help Laos successfully organize important activities during its ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2024. Photo: VNA
Economic, trade and investment cooperation has been promoted and achieved some remarkable results.
Up to now, Vietnam has 256 investment projects in Laos with a total investment capital of more than 5.5 billion USD, with accumulated realized capital reaching 2.8 billion USD.
In the first 7 months of the year, 6 new projects were licensed with an investment capital of 36.7 million USD, an increase of 39% over the same period in 2023. The Deputy Head of the Foreign Affairs Department said that many Vietnamese investment projects are operating effectively, contributing positively to the development of Laos, especially telecommunications, banking, rubber planting and processing, food production and processing, and milk.
The two sides have completed and handed over 4 projects to Laos for exploitation and use.
Vietnam - Laos trade turnover in 2023 will reach 1.6 billion USD, in the first 8 months of the year, trade turnover reached about 1.3 billion USD.
Regarding traffic and transportation, the two sides focused on implementing the memorandum of understanding between the two governments on the Transport Cooperation Strategy for the 2016-2025 period, with a vision to 2030; and continued to promote the search for capital sources to implement key projects.
Regarding electricity, the two sides are actively implementing the memorandum of understanding between the two governments on the development of hydropower projects in Laos and trade between the two countries. Vietnam will import about 3,000 MW of electricity from Laos by 2025 and 5,000 MW by 2030.
Regarding agriculture and forestry, the two sides agreed that cooperation in this field is very important, including exchanging and transferring technology and techniques, building models for agricultural and rural development to reduce poverty, and improving institutional capacity and policies in the management of agricultural, forestry, fishery and irrigation production.
The first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange will take place at the end of 2023. Photo: Quang Phong
Regarding culture, education, training and human resource development are given more attention, ensuring quality and efficiency. Vietnam provides Laos with more than 1,000 scholarships each year and to date there are more than 14,000 Lao students studying at more than 170 educational institutions in Vietnam.
Cooperation and mutual assistance between ministries, branches, agencies of the National Assembly, the Front, organizations, and localities continue to be promoted and become more substantial.
People-to-people diplomacy activities are regularly paid attention to by the two countries; many cultural, artistic, physical education and sports exchange activities are organized, contributing to enhancing understanding between the people of the two countries.
VIETNAM-LAOS RELATIONS WILL REACH NEW HEIGHTS
Deputy Head of the Central External Relations Commission Nguyen Minh Tam affirmed that Vietnam's consistent policy is to give top priority to developing cooperative relations with Laos in depth, effectively and sustainably, considering this a strategic task and top concern in foreign policy, clearly identifying that helping friends is helping ourselves.
Ceremony to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic relations. Photo: Pham Hai
The two sides continue to strengthen close coordination in strategic guidelines and policies, creating increasing trust and helping each other to strengthen the building of strong revolutionary strength in all aspects, first of all in building the Party and cadres, which are the leading factors determining the leadership role of each Party and a solid political foundation to effectively promote the comprehensive cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Laos.
“Entering a new phase, it is forecasted that the world and regional situation will continue to evolve rapidly and complicatedly. To ensure the successful implementation of the renovation process in each country and the Resolution of the National Congress of each Party, the two sides continue to affirm the importance and strategic significance of the special solidarity relationship in the new situation.
On the basis of consistent principles agreed upon by the two Parties, the two sides agreed to further promote the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos on the basis of promoting the spirit of independence, self-reliance, self-reliance, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, appropriately combining the special nature of the Vietnam-Laos relationship with international practices," Mr. Nguyen Minh Tam analyzed.
The Deputy Head of the Central External Relations Commission believes that the visit of Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith will bring the Vietnam-Laos relationship to a new height, for the practical benefits of the people of each country, for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.
Vietnamnet.vn
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