Vietnam and Laos Leaders Co-Chair High-Level Meeting to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired a high-level meeting between the two nations’ ruling parties on Wednesday. The meeting took place during President Thongloun’s state visit to Vietnam, further solidifying the close ties between the two countries.
The leaders exchanged updates on the current status of their respective parties and countries, with a focus on Party building, socio-economic development, and key international and regional issues. They also reviewed the long-standing cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and outlined major directions for future collaboration.
Both leaders highlighted the deep historical bonds of solidarity and mutual support between Vietnam and Laos, describing the bilateral relationship as an invaluable asset. President Tô Lâm reaffirmed that Vietnam considers its relationship with Laos a top priority in its external policy. President Thongloun echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that Laos remains committed to preserving and nurturing this special solidarity, ensuring it continues to thrive for the benefit of both nations.
The leaders expressed satisfaction with the substantial cooperation across various fields, including socio-economic development, security, and defense, which has contributed to political stability and social order in both countries. They reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the Vietnam-Laos friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation to promote peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond.
In addition to the bilateral discussions, the leaders praised the growing trilateral cooperation between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. They expressed their desire to deepen these relationships, including the implementation of tripartite cooperation mechanisms.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone also addressed the meeting, evaluating the achievements in economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two nations. Both leaders emphasized the need to enhance the economic and trade partnership to reflect the strong political ties and potential of the two countries. They called for greater efforts to resolve existing challenges in bilateral cooperation and to increase connectivity between the economies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
The meeting concluded with both sides pledging to deepen political relations, strengthen defense and security cooperation, and coordinate closely on strategic issues. They also agreed to intensify information exchanges and joint efforts at international and regional forums, while ensuring the implementation of existing agreements and exploring new mechanisms to enhance collaboration. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, cooperation, and development in the region, underlining the practical benefits that these efforts would bring to the people of both nations.
