General Secretary Tô Lâm waves goodbye as he boards the jet for a state visit to Laos on February 5. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee Tô Lâm and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam left Hà Nội on Thursday morning for a state visit to Laos.

The visit is made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith.

The General Secretary is accompanied by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính; Politburo member, Chairman of the National Assembly Trần Thanh Mẫn; Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of its Organisation Commission Lê Minh Hưng; Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Bùi Thị Minh Hoài; Politburo member, Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Văn Giang; and Politburo member, Minister of Public Security Gen. Lương Tam Quang.

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation Trịnh Văn Quyết; Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of its Inspection Commission Trần Sỹ Thành; Politburo member, Chief of the Party Central Committee’s Office Phạm Gia Túc; and Politburo member, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung also joined the delegation.

The visit takes place shortly after the success of the 14th National Congress of the CPV and the 12th National Congress of the LPRP. The selection of Laos as the first country for the visit by General Secretary Lâm and the high-ranking delegation of the Party and State in the new term holds profound political significance, demonstrating Việt Nam’s consistent policy of attaching special importance and top priority to the Việt Nam–Laos relationship.

This is also the first State visit that Laos has welcomed following its 12th National Party Congress. It comes just over a week after the trip to Việt Nam by Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun, the first foreign head of state to visit Việt Nam after the 14th National Congress of the CPV.

The trip is an occasion for the two Parties and countries to continue affirming their great special solidarity, faithful attachment, and unwavering bond – a relationship that has been tested and continuously nurtured throughout history.

At the same time, it reflects the highest political determination of the top leaders of both Parties and nations to further develop the bilateral ties in an increasingly substantive and effective manner. — VNA/VNS