HÀ NỘI – Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith were delighted with the deepening special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries during their meeting in Hà Nội yesterday.
The leaders pledged that the two countries would work together to maintain and foster this special solidarity for the next generation.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith is in Hanoi for the ACMECS-7, CLMV-8 and WEF-Mekong summits.
He thanked Việt Nam for providing timely, huge, and efficient assistance for Laos over the years. He also said the Laos Government would work closely with the Vietnamese Government to guide the productive implementation of agreements reached by senior Party and State officials.
Vietnamese Party chief Trọng congratulated Laos on its achievements during its 2016 ASEAN Chairmanship, acknowledging that the successful Chairmanship heightened Laos’ prestige and position on the regional and global stages.
He said Việt Nam wholeheartedly supports Laos’ reform, defence and nation-building initiatives. He also affirmed his belief in Laos’ capacity to achieve even greater success in these and other related national efforts.
Trọng also stressed the need for the two countries to coordinate to implement their mutual agreements pertaining to the economy, education, culture, science and technology.

In particular, he emphasised a 2016-2020 mutual cooperation agreement and a 2016 cooperation plan which focused on the exchange of information and experience in Party building, socio-economic management, and cooperation on defence, security and external affairs.
"Existing co-operation mechanisms should be maximised. Difficulties and obstacles must also be tackled promptly to create positive and practical changes in the quality and efficiency of cooperation between the two countries across the board," Trọng said.

VN, Lao parliaments to boost bilateral ties

Việt Nam’s National Assembly (NA) would support and partner with its Lao counterpart in speeding up implementation of agreements reached by the two countries, NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân said yesterday.
At a reception held in Hà Nội for Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, she also expressed her hope that the Lao leader would pay more attention to boosting co-operation between the two countries in all fields, especially economy, investment and trade.
Ngan briefed her guest on new developments in drafting bills at the ongoing second meeting of the 14^th legislature.
For his part, Thongloun Sisoulith said Việt Nam’s experience would help the Lao legislative body and Government improve their governance.

He conveyed the Lao leaders’ sympathy for losses suffered by Vietnamese people in the central region during the recent storms. He expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Vietnamese Party and State, the people would overcome difficulties and stabilise their lives. VNS