President Tô Lâm (left) meets with Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane on Thursday reaffirmed the importance and the highest priority they give to consolidating and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

At their meeting in Vientiane as part of Lâm’s ongoing state visit, the leaders affirmed that the relationship is an invaluable asset, and a vital factor for each country's revolutionary cause.

Phomvihane said Lâm’s visit demonstrates the friendship and fraternity of the Vietnamese Party, State and people towards Laos, and asked the President to convey his invitation to NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to soon pay an official visit to Laos.

For his part, Lâm appreciated the good and valuable sentiments of the Lao Party, State and people towards Việt Nam, and congratulated them on achievements they have recorded in national construction and development.

The President expressed his belief that Laos will overcome the current difficulties to successfully implement the resolution adopted at the 11th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and the 9th five-year socio-economic development plan, and smoothly organise all-level Party congresses as well as the 12th National Party Congress.

Phomvihane also asked Lâm to convey his regards to Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders, and highlighted the valuable support from the Vietnamese Party, State and people to their Lao counterparts during the latter’s past struggle for national independence and their present cause of national construction and development.

He highly valued the outcomes of the working trip to Laos by NA Vice Chairman Nguyễn Khắc Định on July 3-5.

The two sides noted with pleasure the thriving relations between the two countries and their legislatures, and stressed the importance of maintaining regular delegation exchanges and contacts; actively implementing cooperation agreements reached by the two NAs, covering the organisation of meetings and workshops to intensify experience sharing; and continuing their close coordination and mutual support at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums.

Lâm spoke highly of Laos’ hosting the first Cambodia-Laos-Việt Nam Parliamentary Summit in Vientiane in December 2023, and affirmed that Việt Nam stands ready to help the country in external activities in the time ahead, including its 2024 ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Chairmanship. — VNS