Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse left Hanoi on January 7 afternoon, concluding his official visit to Vietnam and co-chairing the 46th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernment Committee from January 6-7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

While here, the Lao leader laid a wreath at President Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and paid respect to the late leader. He also had meetings with State President Vo Van Thuong and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

At the talks and meetings, Vietnamese leaders spoke highly of the achievements recorded by the Lao Party, State, and people. Leaders of the two countries expressed their joy at the fine, comprehensive, extensive and intensive, and effective developments of the bilateral great friendship, special solidary, and comprehensive cooperation in all fields.

On the cooperation orientations for the time to come, the two sides agreed to intensify the exchange of high-level visits and contacts, and to strengthen the connectivity between the two economies.

The Vietnamese leaders affirmed their readiness to support Laos in successfully shouldering international responsibilities in 2024, including the ASEAN chairmanship,

On this occasions, ministries and sectors of the two countries signed four cooperation documents.

At the Vietnam – Laos investment and cooperation conference, the two PMs witnessed the hand-over of investment licenses and cooperation documents in finance, agriculture, and mining.

On January 7 morning, the two PMs co-chaired the 46th session of the Intergovernment Committee which focused the assessment of the result of the implementation in the past year and the working out of the new tasks and orientations for 2024.

While here, the spouse of the Lao PM, Mme. Vandara Siphandone, joined the Vietnamese PM’s spouse, Mme. Le Thi Bich Tran, in visiting education establishment and craft villages in Thai Binh province and Hanoi.

Vietnam always gives top priority to special ties with Laos: NA leader

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue had a meeting with visiting Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Hanoi on January 7, during which he affirmed that Vietnam always gives the highest priority to the special traditional relations with Laos.

The Vietnamese top legislator congratulated Laos on successfully hosting the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Parliamentary Summit in December 2023 which helps foster the relations among the three parliaments in particular and the three countries in general.

PM Sonexay underlined that Laos always treasures and considers the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam as the top priority.

He spoke highly of NA Chairman Hue's visit to Laos in May 2022 and thanked Vietnam for supporting Laos in organising the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Parliamentary Summit.

The two sides shared their pleasure at and highly valued the achievements of the Vietnam-Laos cooperation in general and the collaboration between the two NAs in particular.

They agreed on the need to work more closely together in implementing high-level agreements, and underlined the necessity of strengthening bilateral trade and investment cooperation as well as connections between the two economies, including transport connectivity, along with collaboration in education-training, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

They pledged to work together in settling difficulties facing businesses and important joint projects.

Regarding cooperation between the two legislatures, the two sides agreed to support the increase of visits and meetings between leaders of the two NAs and NA committees, while strengthening the experience sharing, especially in the building of institutions and legal systems and supervising the implementation of agreements and deals reached by the two Governments. The two NAs should coordinate in organising conferences of professional topics for NA agencies, they said.

They concurred to support the two NAs’ collaboration at international and regional forums, especially the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

NA Chairman Hue congratulated Laos for taking the role of the ASEAN and AIPA Chair in 2024, affirming that Vietnam is willing to give maximum assistance to Laos in performing this important role.

He suggested that the two NAs cooperate with the Cambodian parliament in effectively implementing outcomes of the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Parliamentary Summit.

Source: VNA