President Trần Đại Quang (r) receives General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos, Bounnhang Vorachith in Hà Nội yesterday. – VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI  – A visit to Việt Nam by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos, Bounnhang Vorachith, was an important political event and a historical milestone between the two Parties, States and peoples, President Trần Đại Quang has said. 

Meeting the Lao leader in Hà Nội yesterday, the President congratulated the Lao Party, State and people on impressive achievements they had made in three decades of renewal. He hoped Laos would reap more success in its future development. 
Quang said he was delighted at the fruitful bilateral ties in politics, security and defence, economy, education, culture, science and technology, which were all important in maintaining stability and bolstering socio-economic development in each nation. 
President Quang hailed the close collaboration in organising the Việt Nam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017. 
He asked both sides to continue close co-ordination and called for further co-operation in security and defence - and the prompt solution of difficulties. 
Vorachith congratulated Việt Nam on the successful hosting of the APEC Year 2017 and expressed his sympathy over human and property losses Việt Nam suffered in recent storms and floods. 
He appraised giant strides in bilateral relations, telling the Vietnamese leader about activities in Laos to mark 40 years of the signing of the Việt Nam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Co-operation and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties. 
At the meeting, the two leaders said that both sides needed to exchange information in a timely manner and support each other at regional and international forums, especially the UN, ASEAN and Mekong Sub-region co-operation mechanisms, to maintain regional and global peace, security, stability and development. 
The Lao leader invited President Trần Đại Quang and his wife to visit Laos at an appropriate time. — VNS