PM Phạm Minh Chính meets his Laos' counterpart in Vientiane on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has expressed his deep appreciation and special recognition of the Vietnamese Government’s strong determination, under the close leadership and direction of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, in helping translate the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Việt Nam and Laos into practical and effective outcomes.

The remarks were made during a meeting between Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone on Thursday held within the framework of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s state visit to Laos.

PM Sonexay Siphandone said he was delighted to meet PM Chính again, describing him as a close comrade and trusted friend of the Lao Party, State and people. He stressed that the Vietnamese Government’s proactive and resolute leadership has played a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral ties in an increasingly substantive, efficient and strategically aligned manner.

The Lao leader affirmed that General Secretary Lâm’s state visit, with the participation of PM Chính and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, carries special historical significance for bilateral relations. It vividly demonstrates the strong political trust and the enduring, faithful bonds between the two Parties, States and people of Laos and Việt Nam.

Congratulating Việt Nam on its major and comprehensive achievements in recent years, PM Sonexay highly valued the role of the Vietnamese Government during the 2021–2025 term, particularly its effective management of socio-economic development and macroeconomic stability. These efforts, he noted, have helped improve people’s living standards and lay a solid foundation for Việt Nam’s next development phase. He expressed confidence that Việt Nam will continue to secure even greater successes in implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.

The Lao PM also commended Việt Nam’s timely, substantial and effective support for Laos, and called for stronger cooperation in economic, trade and investment fields. He urged both sides to accelerate connectivity projects in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education and human resource development, while reaffirming Laos’ commitment to creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest and operate sustainably and long term in the country.

PM Chính congratulated Laos on the important, comprehensive and historically significant achievements it has recorded over 40 years of renewal, and on the successful 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP). He affirmed that the outcomes reflect the strength of national unity and the steadfast pursuit of a comprehensive renewal path aimed at protecting, building and sustainably developing Laos in line with the socialist orientation.

The Vietnamese leader also congratulated PM Sonexay Siphandone on being re-elected to the Politburo of the 12th LPRP Central Committee, underscoring the high trust and recognition placed in him by the Lao Party and people. He voiced his belief that under Sonexay’s firm leadership, the Lao Government will successfully implement its 10th Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026–2030), contributing to the effective realisation of the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress.

The two PMs exchanged updates on recent socio-economic developments and future priorities in each country, reaffirming their determination to effectively implement Party Congress resolutions. PM Chính highlighted the Vietnamese Government’s contributions during the 2021–2025 term and reaffirmed Việt Nam’s resolve to implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress from the outset, aiming to achieve its twin centenary goals for 2030 and 2045.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the impressive results of comprehensive bilateral cooperation, noting that political and diplomatic ties have been further strengthened to the highest level of trust. Notably, the two sides agreed to incorporate “strategic cohesion” into their bilateral relationship as a long-term political commitment closely linked in terms of vision, interests and actions.

Defence and security cooperation continues to serve as a key pillar, while economic, trade and investment cooperation has made breakthrough progress. Bilateral trade surged to nearly US$3 billion in 2025, while Vietnamese investment in Laos exceeded $5.6 billion, bringing cumulative registered capital to $6.21 billion across 276 projects.

Financial and banking cooperation has seen transformative progress, particularly with the rollout of local currency payment frameworks and cross-border QR code retail payment connectivity, facilitating trade, investment and tourism while reducing reliance on intermediary currencies.

Cooperation in education, culture and tourism has also flourished, with nearly 11,000 Lao students currently studying in Việt Nam. The two countries have also achieved notable successes in heritage preservation, including UNESCO’s recognition of the Hin Nam No – Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng Transboundary World Natural Heritage site in July 2025.

Looking ahead, the two leaders agreed to further operationalise the concept of strategic cohesion and accelerate the implementation of new flagship cooperation projects in energy, transport, minerals, education, digital transformation and human resource development, thereby deepening the special solidarity between Việt Nam and Laos in the new development phase.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2026, PM Sonexay Siphandone extended his best wishes to the Government and people of Việt Nam and expressed his hope for continued flourishing of the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two nations. — VNA/VNS