Nokor Sangkranta 2026 festival officially opened at Wat Phnom (Hill Temple) in the centre of Phnom Penh on Tuesday, featuring the ceremonial welcoming of deities for the traditional Chol Chhnam Thmey of the Cambodian people, along with a wide range of vibrant cultural and festive activities. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese leaders have sent greeting messages and flower baskets to leaders of Laos and Cambodia on the occasion of the traditional Bunpimay New Year of Laos and Chol Chhnam Thmey of Cambodia.

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm extended greetings to General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneat Norodom Sihamoni and President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng sent messages to Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet on the special occasions.

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn extended greetings to Lao National Assembly President Saysomphone Phomvihane, Cambodian Senate President Samdech Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and Cambodian National Assembly President Samdech Moha Rotsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary.

Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Cẩm Tú also sent greetings to Permanent member of the LPRP Central Committee’s Secretariat Vilay Lakhamphong and CPP Vice President and Chairman of the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee Say Chhum.

In their message to LPRP General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, and key leaders of Laos, General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and other key Vietnamese leaders noted with satisfaction that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Việt Nam and Laos have been increasingly deepened substantively and effectively.

They highlighted the addition of the concept of “strategic cohesion” to bilateral relations in 2025 as an important milestone that provides long-term orientation for ties between the two Parties and countries, while creating a solid foundation for the growth of bilateral ties for the benefit of both peoples and regional peace and stability.

The Vietnamese leaders affirmed that Việt Nam attaches great importance to relations with Laos and will continue to coordinate closely with the country in implementing high-level agreements, while promoting cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges. Việt Nam will continue to reinforce and promote the loyal, pure and unique relationship between the two peoples, they pledged.

They expressed confidence that under the leadership of the LPRP, headed by General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith, Laos will continue to record major achievements, successfully implement the resolution of the Party’s 12th Congress and the 10th five-year socio-economic development plan, and build an increasingly prosperous country.

In their message to the King and senior leaders of Cambodia, the Vietnamese leaders congratulated the country on its important achievements across various fields, and expressed confidence that under the reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the leadership of the CPP led by President Hun Sen, the CPP's 2023–2028 political platform and the Cambodian Government’s Pentagonal Strategy Phase I will be successfully implemented.

They also emphasised that outcomes of recent high-level exchanges, particularly the state visit to Cambodia by General Secretary Tô Lâm, and the co-chairing of the meeting between the Politburo of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee and the meeting between the leaders of the three Parties of Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos in February, will continue to be effectively implemented, further strengthening the relationship of “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” between the two countries.

On the occasion, Politburo member and Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung sent congratulatory messages to Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavan Phomvihane, head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Bounleua Phandanouvong, and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and head of the CPP Central Committee's Extern Relations Commission Prak Sokhonn. — VNA/VNS