The ninth Lao National Assembly elected Thongloun Sisoulith as President of Laos during its ongoing first session on Monday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Top Vietnamese leaders have offered congratulations to the newly elected leaders of the state, government, and National Assembly of Laos.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, and Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh sent congratulatory messages to President Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister Phankham Viphavan, National Assembly Chairman Saysomphone Phomvihane, and Vice Presidents Bounthong Chitmani and Pany Yathotou, who were elected at the first session of the 9th-tenure National Assembly of Laos.

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders said the elections demonstrated the Lao parliament and people’s trust in the new leaders’ capacity, prestige, and important contributions to the revolutionary cause and the national construction, defence and development of Laos.

They expressed their beliefs that the new leadership would effectively direct the implementation of the resolution issued at the 11th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party as well as the socio-economic development plan for 2021-25, building Laos into a country of peace, independence, democracy, unity, and prosperity with an increasingly important role in the region and the world.

The leaders of Việt Nam also said they would continue working closely with their Lao counterparts to develop ties between Việt Nam and Laos, for the prosperity and happiness of the two countries' people.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh sent congratulations to Saleumxay Kommasith on the latter’s re-election as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos.

Minh expressed his belief that Saleumxay Kommasith will continue leading the Lao Foreign Ministry to carry out the country’s foreign policy of peace, independence, friendship, and co-operation for development, in which the special Laos-Việt Nam relations and the two foreign ministries’ co-operation will be promoted. — VNS