Vietnam gives top priority to special relations with Laos

The Lao Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam once again affirms the consistent foreign policy of the Vietnamese Party and State of always attaching importance to and giving the highest priority to the special Vietnam-Laos relationship.

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on an official visit to the Lao PDR, January 2023. Photo: VGP

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his wife will pay an official visit to Vietnam and co-chair the 46th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee from January 6 to 7, 2024.

Exactly one year ago, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was also the first high-ranking foreign leader to visit Laos in 2023 and the first foreign partner that Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone welcomed after taking office.

It is expected that during this visit of the Lao Prime Minister, the two sides will review and evaluate the outstanding achievements in Vietnam-Laos relations in 2023; propose a number of key directions in 2024; effectively promote key cooperation issues; coordinate well in organizing major events in the relations between the two countries and each country, especially Laos assuming the role of ASEAN Chair 2024.

The two sides will discuss measures to enhance foreign political cooperation; promote security-defense cooperation...; promote economic-trade-investment cooperation, strengthen economic ties between the two economies, effectively implement key projects, coordinate between Vietnam and Laos, as well as at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN, Mekong sub-regional cooperation and at the United Nations.

Over the past time, Vietnam-Laos relations have continued to be close and develop well.

Political and diplomatic relations continue to be consolidated, trust is increasingly increasing, playing a core role, guiding the overall relationship between the two countries. The two sides successfully coordinated to organize the annual meeting of the two Politburoes, the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee and the Closing Ceremony of the "Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022" (January 2023); actively implemented the Agreement on Vietnam-Laos bilateral cooperation for the period 2021-2025 and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for the period 2021-2030; actively organized visits by high-ranking leaders at all levels; enhanced the exchange of theories and experiences in Party building, socio-economic development, and international integration.

Defense and security cooperation continues to be maintained and developed, enhanced in both quality and quantity as an important pillar in the bilateral relationship. The two sides actively implemented the Protocols and Cooperation Plans in the field of defense and security; coordinated in searching for and repatriating Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war (in the 2022-2023 dry season, the two sides collected and repatriated 194 sets of martyrs' remains). The Lao People's Army Ethnic Culture School and the Lao People's Public Security Political School were also inaugurated.

The two sides have strengthened cooperation in the fight against reactionary "peaceful evolution" groups and organizations, and coordinated well in resolving and combating cross-border crimes, especially drug crimes and human trafficking.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation continued to have positive changes. The two sides signed a "Memorandum of Understanding on the development and connection of Vietnam-Laos border trade infrastructure"; coordinated to amend the Vietnam-Laos Trade Agreement and the Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Agreement to create the most favorable conditions for businesses and people of the two countries.

Vietnam currently has 241 investment projects in Laos with a total registered capital of 5.47 billion USD, continuing to maintain the 3rd position among countries/territories (after China and Thailand). In the 11 months of 2023, Vietnam had 07 newly licensed projects and 02 projects with increased capital, with a total registered capital of more than 114 million USD (an increase of 71.7% over the same period). After 11 months of 2023, bilateral trade turnover reached 1.5 billion USD. Promoting the connection between the two economies, the two sides have completed and handed over the Nong Khang Airport Project.

Cooperation in other important fields such as culture, education, science, technology, and cooperation between localities... continues to have changes and is strengthened, becoming more specific, in-depth, and comprehensive.

Education-training and cultural cooperation continues to receive attention, actively implementing the Vietnam-Laos Education Cooperation Project for the period 2021-2030, the Protocol on Vietnam-Laos Training Cooperation for the period 2022-2027; the Cultural-Arts and Tourism Cooperation Plan for the period 2021-2025 and supporting Laos in building the Lao Sports Development Strategy for the period 2023-2030.

The two sides completed the construction of Xieng Khouang Provincial Friendship Hospital, handed over the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Vocational School in Nongbok District, Khammouane Province; and launched the project to build the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Park in Vientiane Capital (August 25, 2022). Currently, there are about 14,600 Lao students studying at more than 170 Vietnamese educational institutions.

The two sides are also urgently coordinating to prepare a dossier to submit to UNESCO to recognize Hin Namno National Park (Laos) as an extended trans-border natural heritage of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Vietnam); surveying to recognize the Western Truong Son road in Laos as a national historical relic.

Cooperation between localities, especially those sharing borders, continues to be strengthened, becoming more specific, in-depth, and comprehensive in all fields, ensuring security, order, and safety in the border areas of the two countries.

The two sides will closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international cooperation forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations and sub-regional mechanisms. In 2023, in addition to official visits, high-ranking leaders of the two countries will regularly meet on the occasion of attending multilateral conferences and forums.

The leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam have repeatedly affirmed and emphasized the consistent foreign policy of always attaching importance to and giving the highest priority to the special Vietnam-Laos relationship. This visit by the Lao Prime Minister is of great significance in continuing to promote the effective implementation of the high-level agreements of the two Parties and two countries, contributing to the continuous development of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, in a deeper, more substantial and effective manner, especially in the fields of economy, security, national defense, education and training, etc.

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