Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) shakes hands with Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone on Monday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a working session with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, who is in Hà Nội to attend the ASEAN Future Forum, on April 22.

PM Chính congratulated his guest on the Bunpimay traditional New Year Festival of Laos and thanked the latter for accepting the invitation to participate in and address the forum.

Appreciating the host leader’s invitation to attend the ASEAN Future Forum, the Lao PM highly valued PM Chính's initiative to organise the event, which attracts representatives of regional and global governments, scholars, and researchers, reflects Việt Nam's active and practical contributions to the ASEAN Community, and also helps promote the country’s role and stature in the region and the world at large.

Discussing the two countries’ relations, the PMs shared the view that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos have continued developing soundly, firmly, and fruitfully in multiple areas over the recent past.

Political ties have been unceasingly reinforced through frequent mutual visits and meetings at all levels. Defence and security cooperation remains an important pillar and becomes increasingly strong and effective, contributing to defence, security, and social order and safety in each country, they noted.

Bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships have been further promoted. Trade between the countries reached US$476.8 million in the first quarter of 2024, up 12 per cent year on year. With 245 investment projects worth $5.5 billion, Việt Nam still ranks third among the countries and territories investing in Laos.

Meanwhile, connections in other fields like education - training, culture, science - technique, tourism, and people-to-people exchange have also been strengthened towards better effectiveness and quality, according to the leaders.

At the meeting, the two PMs looked into measures for effectively implementing high-level agreements and the outcomes of the 46th meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee.

They agreed to continue increasing high-level visits and meetings; properly carry out the agreements between the two governments, including the Việt Nam-Laos agreement on the cooperation strategy for 2021-30, the deal on bilateral cooperation for 2021-25, and the one on the cooperation plan 2024; and boost defence and security cooperation to effectively cope with non-traditional challenges, including border management and protection and the trans-national crime fight.

Việt Nam and Laos will enhance the connectivity of their economies, especially in terms of regulations, finance, transport infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and tourism. The countries will assist each other to build independent and self-reliant economies that actively, extensively, substantively, and effectively integrate into the world. They will work together to thoroughly deal with bottlenecks and create a favourable environment for Vietnamese businesses to operate in Laos. Besides, the protocols and cooperation projects in the field of education and human resources training will also be implemented fruitfully, the leaders added.

Both host and guest concurred that their countries will continue coordinating closely and supporting each other at regional and international forums like ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.

PM Chính affirmed that Việt Nam keeps supporting and assisting Laos to successfully fulfil international roles in 2024, including the ASEAN Chairmanship. — VNS