Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm (right) hands over the appointment decision to Ambassador Nguyễn Minh Tâm in a ceremony in Hà Nội on September 5. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — The upcoming state visit to Việt Nam by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith from September 10 to 13 is a vivid demonstration of the great friendship and special solidarity between the two Parties and States, according to a Party official.

Deputy head of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Nguyễn Minh Tâm, who was recently appointed Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos, described the visit as an important milestone in the history of the bilateral relations, contributing to bolstering the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation to a new high, and in an effective and substantive fashion that helps bring prosperity to the two countries.

In the past, political relations have been enhanced, with political confidence playing a key role in shaping the orientations of the bilateral ties, he said, stressing both countries have affirmed their great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive collaboration are common invaluable assets, an objective necessity, a historic rule, and a source of the greatest strength for the two nations that need to be preserved, promoted and handed down to future generations.

They have promoted their existing cooperation mechanisms, while reviewing, adjusting and carrying out new ones, focusing on discussions about their cooperation in strategic issues, as well as policies related to the security and development of each nation.

A wide range of external activities between high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and States have been arranged, and various cooperation agreements across important domains have been signed, helping deepen the comprehensive cooperation relations in the new period.

According to Tâm, the two countries have enhanced theoretical discussions, informed each other of their situations, and shared experience in building the Party and political system, developing the socio-economy, ensuring macro-economic stability, maintaining defence-security, expanding external relations, and international integration. They have accelerated communications work to educate their people about the history and tradition of the special Việt Nam – Laos ties, and outstanding achievements while working together to build and renovate historic relic sites dedicated to the bilateral ties in each nation.

High-ranking leaders and heads of ministries, sectors and branches have sent messages of congratulations to each other on the occasion of the establishment of each Party, and many anniversaries, showing their close affection. They have presented orders and medals to individuals and organisations with excellent achievements and contributions to consolidating and enhancing special relations.

In the same vein, the defence-security cooperation has been maintained, being an important pillar in the bilateral relations that helps maintain political stability, and assure defence-security and social order in each nation.

They have worked together to implement the protocol on defence and security collaboration for the 2020-24 period, and a cooperation plan in 2024 while continuing to effectively carry out such mechanisms as the defence policy dialogue and security cooperation conference.

Besides, the two sides have worked to ensure security, maintain their broader areas of peace and social order, fight “peaceful evolution”, “riotous overthrow”, and transnational crimes, particularly drugs, and coordinate in the search and repatriation of the remains of the Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during wartime in Laos.

In his writing, Tâm underlined that the external relations between the two countries have been maintained and enhanced.

They have joined hands with Cambodia to bring into play the outcomes of the meeting of the leaders of the three Parties, agreement on the development triangle area among the three Prime Ministers, a joint statement among the three top legislators, and a plan to connect the three economies until 2030.

The two countries, he continued, have effectively carried out the consultation and information exchange mechanisms between the two Parties’ external relations commissions, foreign ministries and other external agencies, adding they have worked closely with, and supported each other at regional and international forums, especially in ASEAN, ASEAN-led mechanisms, Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, and the UN, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Furthermore, they have joined hands to implement the protocol on the Việt Nam-Laos borderline, national border markers, and border and border gate management regulations, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of their citizens and legal entities, creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese and Lao living and working in each other’s territory under legal regulations in each nation and international practice.

Additionally, the two countries have stepped up collaboration across economy, trade and investment, with various agreements and documents signed to create a comprehensive legal corridor for cooperation. They have also exchanged experience in macroeconomic management.

To date, Việt Nam has injected more than US$5.5 billion in 256 projects in Laos, making contributions to the host nation’s socio-economic development.

Last year, two-way trade reached $1.6 billion, while the figure from January-August was around $1.3 billion.

The two sides have also paid due attention to promoting cooperation in transportation, power, agro-forestry, rural development, culture, education training and people-to-people exchange.

In the future, Việt Nam's consistent policy is to give its leading priority to developing cooperation ties with Laos in a deep, effective and sustainable fashion, seeing it as a strategic mission, and a top concern in its external policy.

The two countries will continue enhancing coordination in strategic guidelines and policies, boosting confidence, and helping each other build strong revolutionary forces, with Party and personnel building seen as a decisive factor for each Party’s leadership role, and a firm political foundation to promote the efficacy of the Việt Nam-Laos comprehensive cooperation partnership.

Tâm stressed that they will enhance leadership, and direct close and harmonious coordination between ministries and sectors in all areas, affirming that political relations will play a key role and shape orientations for the bilateral ties, while people-to-people friendship will be a firm social basis, collaboration in defence, security and external affairs a pillar, that in the economy, trade and investment a long-term foundation, and that in culture, education-training a strategic issue.

Amid rapid and complicated situations in the region and the world, the two countries continue to affirm the importance and strategic significance of the special solidarity, and agree to enhance the comprehensive cooperation partnership based on promoting their independence, self-reliance, and equal and win-win cooperation so as to successfully carry out the renewal process in each nation.

He added that the state visit to Việt Nam by Mr. Sisoulith will help develop the bilateral ties to a new high for the practical interests of the two peoples, and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world. — VNS