Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception for Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou in Hanoi on March 5.

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou

He congratulated Laos on its remarkable achievements gained after three years of implementing the resolution of the 10th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).

He expressed his pleasure that the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos has been further deepened in all fields, to which the two countries’ parliaments have made active contributions.

The Vietnamese leader asked the two National Assemblies to increase cooperation and experience sharing in law making and supervision activities. He also asked them to enhance the supervision and direction of the implementation of Vietnam-Laos joint statements and agreements reached by the parties, states, governments and parliaments of the two countries.

Trong also urged the two sides to strengthen coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums.

Pany Yathotou expressed her belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Vietnamese people will gain more remarkable achievements in the cause of reform and successfully implement the resolution of the 12th National Congress of the CPV.

She thanked Vietnam for its valuable support of Laos from the past to present and spoke highly of the outcomes of the recent official visit to Laos by Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Lao parliamentary leader informed her host on the results of the cooperation between the two National Assemblies, as well as the outcomes reached during a working session between her delegation and their Vietnamese counterpart.

The Lao National Assembly will work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to effectively implement their cooperation agreements as well as agreements between the two parties and states, she affirmed. 

PM hosts Lao National Assembly leader

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly  Pany Yathotou in Hanoi 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly (NA) Pany Yathotou in Hanoi on March 5.

PM Phuc lauded the visit of the Lao top legislator, which contributes to fostering cooperation between the two countries’ parties, governments, and NAs.

The Vietnamese leader expressed his delight at the positive results of partnership between Vietnam and Laos, especially in trade and border cooperation, as well as the outcomes of the recent Laos visit by Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, which created a strong driving force for further collaboration between the two parties and states.

For her part, the Lao NA leader congratulated Vietnam for successfully hosting the second DPRK-USA summit, demonstrating Vietnam’s role and contributions in building peace and stability in the world.

She said that over the years, the NAs of Vietnam and Laos have collaborated closely and fruitfully.

During her visit, the two legislative bodies will promote the efficiency of their affiliation, she said, adding that the Lao delegation has learnt a lot from the experience of the Vietnamese side in many areas, including land management policy.

In a working session with leaders of Hanoi, the delegation learnt about the city’s implementation of the Vietnamese government’s directions and NA’s resolutions, she noted. The delegation also visited an economic model applicable to Laos in Hanoi.

Lao NA leader Pany Yathotou thanked the Party, State, Government, and NA of Vietnam for helping Laos in the construction of a new building for the Lao NA. She stressed that the Vietnamese government and the PM have always offered timely and effective support to Lao people in many areas, especially in overcoming the consequences of the Attapeu hydropower dam collapse, which shows the special solidarity and borderless assistance that Vietnamese people have given to their Lao friends.

PM Phuc said that although Vietnam still faces many difficulties, the country has always been willing to give whole-hearted support to the Lao people.

He proposed that the NAs of Vietnam and Laos continue working together to reinforce the special ties by maintaining high-level visits and bilateral cooperation mechanisms; expanding and enhancing the efficiency of partnership in various areas such as security, defence, economy, trade, and investment; and strengthening communications and education on the tradition of the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity among youngsters.

The two sides should continue supporting each other at international and regional forums, especially the UN and ASEAN, as well as sub-regional mechanisms; while increasing the sharing of information, experience, and expertise; and coordinating closely at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums, he suggested.

PM Phuc expressed his hope that Vietnam and Laos will work closely together with one another and with other countries and organisations in sustainably managing and using the Mekong River’s water resources, responsibly exploiting hydropower resources to ensure water security for the interest of all concerned sides and people.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate with and assist Laos in realising its strategy of energy development, including hydropower energy, stated the PM.

Lao top legislator hails Vietnam’s organisation of DPRK-USA summit

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan shakes hands with her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou in Hanoi on March 5 

Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou has lauded Vietnam’s organisation of the second DPRK-USA Summit, which, she said, contributed to building peace in the region and the world and improving the country’s role and position in the international arena.

Yathotou, who is on a working visit to Vietnam, made the praise at a meeting with her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Hanoi on March 5.

She told the host that her working visit to Vietnam this time is a chance for both sides to review the implementation of the two legislatures’ memorandum of understanding on cooperation over the past two years.

The visit is the follow-up of the meeting between the two Political Bureaus, and the 41st session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee co-chaired by the two Prime Ministers at the beginning of 2019.

Through high-level meetings and visits, collaboration between localities and joint conferences, Laos has received support and learnt from experience of Vietnam’s National Assembly and localities, thus helping improve the quality of its operations as well as inspection over the implementation of socio-economic development plans and law enforcement of the legislative body and People’s Councils of Laos, she stated.

The Lao top legislator thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the gift of a new office building for the Lao National Assembly, adding that the project is being constructed on schedule.

Congratulating Laos on its great achievements in all aspects, Ngan voiced her belief that under the sound leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the direction of the Government, and the supervision of the National Assembly, Lao people will reap more fruits and successfully fulfill targets set in the 10th National Party Congress’s resolution and the 2016-2020 socio-economic development plan.

Regarding the partnership between the two NAs, the Vietnamese top legislator agreed with her Lao counterpart’s proposal that the two sides continue maintaining visits by high-ranking leaders and professional agencies of both sides, while increasing the sharing of information as well as collaboration in dealing with arising problems.

The two sides agreed that the two legislative bodies will strengthen the supervision over the implementation of signed agreements between the two governments, ministries, sectors and localities, including agreements inked during the recent visit to Laos by Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, while completing the legal corridor to facilitate the realization of bilateral deals.

NA Chairwoman Ngan thanked the Lao NA for supporting Vietnam in hosting a number of regional and international forums and meetings in 2020, asking for Laos’s coordination with Vietnam when the country take up the role of ASEAN Chair and AIPA President in 2020.

She expressed her delight at the fruitful results of the joint supervision activities of the two NAs, suggesting that the two sides work closely in facilitating the partnership among border localities of Vietnam and Laos, ensuring border security and managing migrants in border areas.

The Vietnamese NA Chairwoman underlined that the construction of the new office building for the Lao NA is an important project for both Parties, States and peoples, pledging that the Vietnamese NA will continue coordinating with the Lao side to ensure its quality and progress.

At the working session, Ngan and Pany Yathotou discussed the joint supervision over the implementation of the agreement on the settlement of free migration and undocumented marriage in border areas of Vietnam and Laos in 2019.

Lauding the results of a conference held by the Lao NA delegation and Hanoi authorities on March 5 to share experience in operations of local government, NA Chairwoman Ngan proposed that in the coming time, the two sides will continue exchanging experience in the operation of People’s Councils. 

Ngan also suggested establishing a joint working group to monitor activities of border gates between the two countries to remove obstacles for trade between Vietnam and Laos.

Vietnam, Laos share experience in local government activities

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai speaks at the workshop 

Vietnam and Laos exchanged experience in local government activities during a workshop held in Hanoi on March 5.

The event aims to increase knowledge sharing between Vietnamese and Lao legislative and elective agencies from central to local levels, said Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai.

The panels talked about the inspection of law enforcement in state budget collection, and coordination mechanisms between the municipal People’s Council and sectors and localities to handle people’s recommendations.

Land-related policies, land management in the capital Hanoi, as well as incentive policies for small- and medium-sized enterprises were also under discussion.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong hoped the Lao side could learn from Vietnam’s experience in these fields after the workshop.

She suggested that Hanoi continue promoting exchanges with Laos, especially in urban management and development.

Chairwoman of Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou said the experience that Hanoi shared during the workshop will help the Lao parliament, elective bodies, and local governments increase the quality of law building, supervision, and enforcement.

She asked the Hanoi and Vientiane People’s Councils to strengthen coordination in the time ahead.

VNA