Sounthon Xayachak, member of the LPRP Central Committee and head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE – The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Laos and Việt Nam have grown unceasingly in both scale and depth despite complicated developments in the region and around the world, said a senior official of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).

Sounthon Xayachak, member of the LPRP Central Committee and head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, made the statement in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of an official visit to Laos by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng, slated for Sunday and Monday.

The official underlined that bilateral political co-operation had been deepened and mutual trust strengthened through the regular exchange of official and unofficial visits by Party, State, parliament leaders and officials of localities, agencies and sectors of both countries. Bilateral economic collaboration had also made significant progress, with Việt Nam among the top investors in Laos and bilateral trade value rising year after year. The two countries also promoted co-operation in external affairs, defence-security, education-sport, culture, healthcare, transport, science-technology, agriculture and other fields in a practical and result-oriented manner, which contributed greatly to Laos’ socio-economic development.

Sounthon Xayachak stressed that the Lao Party and State were honoured for Việt Nam’s Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng to select Laos as the first country to visit after taking office as President of Việt Nam.

She added that the choice was not surprising considering the close friendship, the special solidarity and the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

“We believe that the Lao visit of the Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President will be a success and provide a good opportunity for the highest leaders of the two Parties and States to discuss partnerships in all areas, thus lifting our special ties to a new height,” she said.

In order to foster and develop the special ties between the two countries amid unpredictable and complicated changes around the world, the Lao Party official said the two Parties and States should pay more attention to educating the people, especially younger generations, on the tradition and history of the special Laos-Việt Nam ties, so that they would be aware of their own responsibilities and tasks in preserving the precious heritage left by older generations.

The two countries should also continue intensifying their co-operation and coordination in defence-security and external affairs to defeat all attempts to undermine the Laos-Việt Nam friendship, while enhancing collaboration in economics, trade, investment, infrastructure, education, culture and other fields, she said.

On behalf of the Party, State and people of Laos, Xayachak took the occasion to express deep gratitude to the Party, Government and people of Việt Nam for their valuable and timely support for Laos’s revolution cause. She wished the Vietnamese people greater successes in implementing the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the goal of “wealthy people, strong, democratic, fair and civilised country.” — VNS