The Parties, Governments, National Assemblies and peoples of Vietnam and Laos always treasure and give the highest priority to consolidating the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive coordination between the two countries.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (R) meets Lao Party General Secretary and State President Chummaly Sayasone.

The statement was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Lao Party General Secretary and State President Chummaly Sayasone and National Assembly Chairman Pany Yathotu during their meetings in Vientiane on September 14.

Hailing the intensive and pragmatic cooperation in all areas between the two countries, both host and guest stressed the more trustworthy and closer political ties as evidenced by the exchange of visits at all levels and under various forms, as well as mutual support in hosting international and regional inter-parliamentary events, including the 132 nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Vietnam remains one of Laos’ largest investors, the leaders said, noting the two countries have signed a new trade agreement and a border trade agreement.

Apart from the effective implementation of joint projects, progress has been made in collaboration in culture, education-training, science-technology, transport and agriculture, they said.

Both consented to maintain high-level visit exchanges between the two Parties, Governments and National Assemblies while increasing experience sharing in theoretical work.

Vietnam and Laos are striving to boost bilateral trade towards 2 billion USD this year, the leaders confirmed.

They will also join hands to fruitfully implement the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperative strategy in transport for 2016-2025 signed during PM Dung’s ongoing Laos visit.

Along with energy, the two countries will enhance affiliations in other fields, such as information, culture, sports, science-technology, healthcare, education and human resource development.

The leaders agreed to uphold the inspection role played by the two legislative bodies over Vietnamese-invested projects in Laos in tandem with reviewing mechanisms, laws and policies to facilitate investment and trade ties and support Vietnamese in the neighbouring country.

Discussing a number of international and regional issues of mutual concern, they were unanimous to tighten coordination within the framework of ASEAN to maintain the group’s stance and voice in major strategic mattes in the region, including the East Sea issue.

PM Dung reiterated Vietnam’s willingness to help Laos successfully assume the ASEAN Chair in 2016.

The Lao side said PM Dung’s visit is of special significance as it contributes to forging and cultivating the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, especially their economic links as marked by the commencement of the kali salt mining project, the largest project invested by Vietnam in the country.

While staying in Laos, the Vietnamese leader also met with former Party Chief and former State President Khamtay Siphandone, former Prime Minister and former President of the Lao Front for National Construction Sisavat Keobounphan and former NA Chairman and former head of the Steering Committee for Ideology, Theory and Culture Saman Vinhaket.

Vietnamese, Lao PMs hold talks to boost cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Lao counterpart Thongsing Thammavong held talks in Vientiane on September 14 to discuss measures to step up cooperation between the two countries across the board.

The PMs expressed their delight at the growing traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples.

They agreed to maintain and promote mutual trust in their political partnerships as well as high-level delegation exchanges under various forms.

Vietnam is one of the biggest investors in Laos with bilateral trade gradually increasing in recent years.

Collaboration in culture, education-training, science-technology, transport and agriculture has also seen positive changes.

The PMs agreed that the two Parties and Governments will continue to give top priority to the reinforcement and development of the Vietnam-Laos special relations, regarding the ties as valuable and of vital significance to the respective causes of national revolution.

They were unanimous in coordinating to organise important event anniversaries of the two countries through the year’s end, including the 40th anniversary of the Lao National Day (December 2) and the 95th birth anniversary of President Kaysone Phomvihane.

The two sides will also prepare for the 38th session of the Inter-Governmental Committee and the annual consultation between the two countries’ Deputy Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers in late 2015.

The countries will work together to effectively implement the new trade agreement and the agreement on the cross-border trade of goods and services while seeking to increase trade to 2 billion USD in 2015.

The leaders also considered measures to support Vietnamese and Lao enterprises to run investment projects in the respective countries, particularly the construction of bonded warehouses and oil pipelines from Hon La port in Vietnam’s central Quang Binh province to the Lao province of Khammouane.

They agreed to enhance transport connections, including a highway project connecting Vientiane-Pac San (Laos) with Thanh Thuy-Hanoi (Vietnam) and the route from Phuthitphong in Luang Prabang province to Naxon bordering Dien Bien Dong district of Vietnam’s northern Dien Bien province.

The two PMs also examined regional and international issues of mutual concern and concurred to promote the sound cooperative ties between the two countries at regional and international forums, especially within the cooperation framework of ASEAN to maintain the common stance and voice of the bloc in regional important strategic issues, including those on the East Sea.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung confirmed that Vietnam will coordinate closely and offer the utmost assistance to help Laos fulfil the role of ASEAN Chair in 2016.

The Lao PM expressed his belief that the commencement of the kali salt processing project in Laos’ Khammouan province on the occasion of PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit would bring pragmatic benefits for the two sides, helping propel bilateral cooperation forward, especially in economics, trade, investment, labour and technology transfer.

After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of a governmental Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation in transport from 2016-2025 with a vision to 2030.

Prime Minister supports Vietnam’s investment in Laos

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with Vietnamese businessmen operating in Laos on September 14 as part of his official visit to the neighbouring country.

He praised the community’s efforts, making Vietnam the second largest investor in Laos, saying the two nations’ investment-trade collaboration achievements have generated mutual benefits and contributed to their special traditional ties.

Supporting effective Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation, he urged the association of Vietnamese investors in Laos to actively propose suitable policies and mechanisms to both Governments and their relevant agencies to develop bilateral cooperation in an intensive and effective manner.

PM Dung stated Vietnam creates favourable conditions for the business community abroad and is working closely with Laos to clear hurdles in their activities.

The meeting also concluded the Prime Minister’s Laos visit.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, approximately 5.22 billion USD from Vietnam has been channelled into 261 projects in Laos, the largest sum of outbound investment from Vietnam.

The inflow added 200 million USD in 2014 and an estimated 260 million USD in 2015 to the Lao budget while creating jobs for more than 30,000 local residents.

The energy sector holds the largest project proportion at 26 percent, followed by agro-forestry at 23 percent, infrastructure at 20 percent and mining at 19 percent.

VNA