Sen. Lt. Gen. Trịnh Văn Quyết, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), visits former General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith. VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE – Sen. Lt. Gen. Trịnh Văn Quyết, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), visited former General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith, along with some schools of the Lao army on Tuesday as part of his official visit to the neighbouring country.

Visiting the former leader of Laos, Quyết, who is also Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and member of the Central Military Commission, said bilateral defence cooperation has kept growing.

He noted that the two general political departments have contributed considerably to the unceasing development of relations between their countries and armies. Their units have worked together to comprehensively and effectively carry out cooperation fields, including training personnel and increasing communications and education among military cadres and young people on the Việt Nam - Laos solidarity and friendship.

He also appreciated Bounnhang Vorachith’s great dedication to the enhancement of ties between the two countries and the two armies, proposing the host keep supporting the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

The same day, the VPA delegation came to the political theory school and the ethnic culture school of the Lao People’s Army (LPA).

At the LPA’s political theory school, Quyết affirmed that the VPA’s General Department of Politics always welcomes more effective and comprehensive cooperation between the LPA’s political theory school and the VPA’s academies and schools, including the Academy of Politics and the School of Political Officers.

He asked the political schools of both sides to step up sharing experience in the Party-related and political affairs of the two armies, and in the building of politically strong armies.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the VPA’s General Department of Politics are ready to receive cadres and lecturers from the Lao school for refresher courses, send cadres and experts in this field at the LPA’s request, and fruitfully cooperate in the spirit of comradeship and fraternity for the ultimate goal of building the armies into absolutely loyal, pioneering, and core forces in safeguarding their respective Parties, Fatherlands, and people.

Also on Tuesday, the VPA delegation paid a working trip to Star Telecom (Unitel), an affiliate of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group of Việt Nam in Laos. VNS