PM Phạm Minh Chính (right) welcomes Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh in his official visit to Việt Nam on January 8. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Visiting Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh held talks with his host Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính in Hà Nội on January 8 after the former’s arrival to a red-carpet welcome ceremony earlier the same day.

PM Chính spoke highly of the achievements recorded by Laos in the national construction and reform over the past time as well as its government’s determination and efforts in the fight against the COVID-19, and expressed his gratitude to the heart-felt support and help from the fraternal country to Việt Nam in the national construction and defence.

For his part, the Lao leader also spoke highly of Việt Nam’s achievements in its recent national construction and development, and thanked the Party, State and people of Việt Nam for their great, valuable help to Laos.

They reaffirmed their countries’ consistent policies of always attaching importance and top priority to the consolidation and strengthening of the bilateral great relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation. The two sides agreed to continue the exchange of high-level and lower-level visits and contacts, effectively implement the agreements reached, provide mutual support in safeguarding socio-security stability, and continue to jointly search for remains of Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives in Laos.

The two exchanged ideas on measures aimed at raising the level of the pillar of economic cooperation to match the bilateral special relationship; and agreed to boost the connectivity between the two economies, especially the land-road, railway, aviation, and sea port projects.

They also agreed to continue raising the quality of the education-training cooperation; strengthen exchanges in culture, sports and tourism; and boost cooperation in clean agriculture, e-commerce and digital transform.

The two sides shared various common assessments on the international and regional situation; and agreed to continue their close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, to join other ASEAN countries in supporting Cambodia to successfully carry out its 2022 ASEAN chairmanship, and to support Cambodia to push the implementation of the ASEAN 5-point consensus on the halt of violence and the acceleration of humanitarian support for Myanmar.

They also reached consensus on continuing their coordination to maintain the ASEAN common stance on strategic issues related to peace and stability of the region, including the East Sea issue.

The Lao PM invited PM Chính to pay an official visit to Laos at a suitable time, and the invitation was accepted.

Following their talks, the two PM witnessed the ceremony to sign and exchange eight cooperation documents in the fields of security, border, economy, banking, education, health care, and electricity

During the ongoing visit, the two PM will co-chair the launch of the Việt Nam – Laos, Laos – Việt Nam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022 and the 44th session of the Việt Nam – Laos Inter-governmental Committee. — VNS