VIENTIANE — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng held talks with his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachith in Vientiane on Sunday following an official welcoming ceremony.

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President Bounnhang Vorachith said the first overseas trip by Nguyễn Phú Trọng in his new position as the top leader of both the Party and State of Việt Nam reflected the great friendship, special solidarity, close relations, mutual trust and comprehensive co-operation between the two Parties, States and peoples of Laos and Việt Nam.

The visit was also a great source of encouragement for the Lao people to successfully complete the resolution adopted at the 10th National Congress of the PRP, he said.

The Lao leader thanked the Party, State and people of Việt Nam for their huge support during his country’s cause of national defence and construction, and stressed that the achievements Việt Nam had recorded in the Đổi Mới (reform) process as well as its increased position and reputation in the international arena offered valuable experience to the Lao Party, State and people.

He expressed his belief that under the leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people would reap greater successes in the cause of national construction and development, thus realising the target of basically turning Việt Nam into a modernity-oriented industrialised nation by 2030.

The Vietnamese leader congratulated the Lao people on the achievements they had obtained over the past 30 years of reform, and affirmed Việt Nam’s strong and comprehensive support for the cause of national renewal, defence and construction in Laos.

He thanked the Lao Party, State and people for their wholehearted support and assistance to Việt Nam during the past struggle for national liberation as well as the present cause of national construction and defence.

Both leaders noted their pride for the special solidarity and loyal ties between the two Parties and peoples which were built and fostered by presidents Hồ Chí Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and generations of leaders and peoples of the two countries.

They affirmed their resolve to preserve and promote the tradition as an invaluable asset of the two nations.  

The leaders pledged to consolidate and develop the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation.

Amidst the complex development of the international and regional situation, the Parties, States and people of the two countries needed to join hands to carry forward the tradition of solidarity, co-operation and mutual support, and advance their revolutionary cause towards socialism, they said.

The leaders agreed to step up the Việt Nam-Laos comprehensive co-operation on the principles of equality and mutual benefits, with priorities given to each other suitable with the special relationship. In that spirit, the two sides agreed to continue strengthening political collaboration, maintaining high-level meetings, and expanding exchanges between agencies, organisations and localities, especially those along their shared border.

They emphasised the need to increase the exchange of information and experience in Party building, particularly preparations for Party congresses at all levels towards the national congresses of the CPV and LPRP.

Experience in political and ideological education, cyber security, prevention of degradation and self-evolution, improvement of the Party’s supervision and inspection capacity, socio-economic development, especially macro-economic stabilisation, and expansion of international relations should also be exchanged between the two sides, they said.

They also concurred to boost co-operative ties in national defence and security, and work together to build a shared border of stability and sustainability.

The two sides would also forge affiliations in economy, culture, education-training, healthcare and science-technology, while creating a more favourable legal corridor for co-operation across all spheres.

The Vietnamese and Lao economies should support each other, particularly in transport, electricity, telecommunications and tourism, they said, stressing that co-operation in high-quality human resources development should receive more attention. The leaders noted with pleasure that Việt Nam and Laos shared united viewpoints on regional and international issues.

They held that the two sides should continue their close co-ordination and mutual support, especially within the co-operation framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations and the Mekong Sub-region mechanism.

The two countries would join hands to sustainably use and manage Mekong River water resources, and tighten their co-operation with third parties within the framework of the East-West Corridor and other multilateral co-operation programmes and projects, the leaders promised.

Both leaders highlighted the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety in the East Sea, supporting ASEAN’s role and principles, and agreed to promote the settlement of disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They affirmed that Việt Nam and Laos would work with relevant sides to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea and soon reach a practical and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, thus contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world at large.

On this occasion, Trọng thanked Laos for backing Việt Nam’s bid to run for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure, and the country’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020. He invited Bounnhang Vorachith and his spouse to visit Việt Nam at a convenient time.

The Lao leader accepted the invitation with pleasure. Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several co-operation documents between Vietnamese and Lao ministries and agencies, including an agreement between the two finance ministries for the 2019-20 period, a co-operation agreement on developing power and mine projects between the two governments, and another between the two governments on building and exploiting the Vũng Áng-Vientiane railway.

Meeting with Government, NA leaders

Later the same day, Trọng met with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) of Laos Pany Yathotou, suggesting Việt Nam and Laos should promote their special relationship and comprehensive co-operation as the two countries were entering a key period of reform.
At the meetings, he spoke highly of the roles played by the Vietnamese and Lao Governments and NAs in their bilateral relationship.
Co-operation between the two governments was crucial, the leader said, noting his hope that they would continue to instruct agencies to effectively implement high-level agreements reached by the two countries.
Informing the hosts of the outcomes of his earlier talks with General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President Bounnhang Vorachith, the Vietnamese leader said in any circumstances, the two Parties and countries should unite and do their best to advance their bilateral relationship and pass it down to future generations.
PM Thongloun Sisoulith and NA Chairwoman Pany Yathotou affirmed that Laos would always make every effort to preserve and promote the great friendship and special solidarity between the two countries.
They promised to remove obstacles facing businesses of the two countries, aiming to make economic links match the Việt Nam-Laos special relationship.
PM Thongloun Sisoulith stressed that Laos encouraged and created optimal conditions for major Vietnamese firms to invest in the country, especially in energy and transport, to bring about practical benefits to both sides.
He also committed to instructing agencies to join hands with Việt Nam in national defence and security, regularly exchange information and provide timely support to each other on regional and international issues.
The Lao PM highlighted partnerships in using the Mekong River water resources, as well as education-training and human resources development.

Also yesterday, Trọng met former Party General Secretary and President of Laos Choumaly Sayasone and visited the construction site of the Lao National Assembly House - a gift from the Vietnamese Party, State and people.

Later in the evening, Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith hosted a banquet in honour of General Secretary and President Trọng and the high-ranking delegation from Việt Nam. — VNS