Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) and Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security General Vilay Lakhamphong had talks on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday for Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security General Vilay Lakhamphong.

Vilay Lakhamphong has been in Việt Nam to attend a conference reviewing the 2022 cooperation plan and the bilateral ministerial-level meeting between the two Ministries of Public Security over collaboration in drug prevention and control.

The host and guest shared a view that Party, State and Government leaders of the two countries have always paid attention to maintaining and strengthening the relationship between the two Parties, States and people of Việt Nam and Laos, including public security forces.

PM Chính congratulated the Lao Party and State on their achievements over the past time and expressed his belief that under the sound leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the drastic management of the Lao Government, the Lao people will overcome all difficulties to build a country of independence, self-reliance, intensive and extensive international integration, and prosperity.

The PM briefed the Lao official on Việt Nam’s foreign policy as well as its socio-economic situation in the third quarter and the first three quarters of this year, with GDP growing 8.83 per cent between January and September – the highest nine-month growth over the past 11 years.

He stressed that national defence and security are an important pillar in the bilateral ties, and suggested the two sides carry forward their achievements to firmly safeguard national security and ensure social order and safety in any circumstances, especially in the face of various difficulties and challenges at present.

Given unpredictable developments of the regional and global situation, the public security ministries of the two countries, especially police forces in localities sharing the border line, should enhance cooperation, experience exchange and coordination in fighting hostile forces and crimes, particularly drug crime and transnational crimes, he said.

The leader also asked the two ministries to coordinate in implementing joint projects, regularly share information, consult and support each other at regional and global forums on transnational crime combat, especially drug, high-tech, cyber and environmental crimes, and cooperate in personnel training.

He also suggested Laos continue its coordination with Việt Nam at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and sub-regional mechanisms.

The two countries need to consistently pursue the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, and work together to contribute to strengthening solidarity within ASEAN and promoting its centrality in regional processes and on issues affecting the building of the ASEAN Community as well as security and development of its member countries, including the East Sea issue and the building of a drug-free ASEAN, he said.

For his part, Vilay Lakhamphong briefed his host on the close, effective cooperation between the two ministries over the past time, especially in drug crime combat.

The bilateral ministerial-level meeting, slated for October 26, will review the collaboration and outline orientations and solutions to improve the efficiency of cooperation in the time ahead, he said.

The Lao official thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their great, timely and effective support to Laos, including in security, and affirmed that Laos always treasures and wishes to strengthen the great friendship and special solidarity between the two countries across spheres in an intensive, practical and effective manner.

He promised that the Lao ministry will enhance cooperation with its Vietnamese counterpart to contribute to promoting the special solidarity. — VNS