National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (R) welcomes Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Hanoi on January 7. VNA photo

HÀ NỘI - National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ had a meeting with visiting Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Hà Nội on January 7, during which he affirmed that Việt Nam 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 treasured and considered the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam as the top priority.

He spoke highly of NA Chairman Huệ's visit to Laos in May 2022 and thanked Việt Nam 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 Việt Nam-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 on 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 Huệ congratulated Laos for taking the role of the ASEAN and AIPA Chair in 2024, affirming that Việt Nam's willingness 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-Việt Nam Parliamentary Summit. VNA/VNS