Vietnam, Laos boost parliamentary collaboration

The agreement was reached at talks between NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her visiting Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou in Hanoi on March 6.

Both NA leader underlined the need to maintain regular visits by the two countries’ senior officials, and experience sharing among ministries, sectors and localities. 

The two sides consented to continue working closely together and supporting each other at global and regional forums, and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms in the context of increasingly complicated developments in the world and the region, they said. 

NA Chairwoman Ngan agreed that the two parliaments will work more closely in speeding up the construction of the parliament building in Laos, affirming that this is vital to strengthen the bilateral ties. 

They will also partner in holding exchange activities between friendship parliamentarians’ groups, female NA deputies and young law-makers of the two countries, she said.

Ngan told his guest that the Vietnamese NA will work hard to prepare for the organisation of activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties and 40 years of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

The two NA leaders stressed the significance of the upcoming inauguration of the Vietnam-Laos revolutionary historical site in Son La province and the need to educate the two countries’ young generations about the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity. 

For her part, Pany Yathotou said she hopes the visit will contribute to further deepening the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and legislatures.

She thanked Vietnam for its valuable, timely and effective assistance to her country in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the current national construction and defence.

The Lao Party and State highly value Vietnam’s financial assistance to Laos in constructing the parliament building, considering it a vivid manifestation of the special friendship and solidarity between the two nations. 

Concerning the legislative ties, the Lao leader said the two NAs should hasten the Governments to devise policies and measures to further enhance bilateral links in trade, investment and education. 

She suggested Committees of the two legislative bodies should continue their supervision of the implementation of commitments and cooperation agreements reached between their Governments, especially those concerning border, natural resources and the environment, 

After their talks, the two NA leader signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures in 2017-2021, and witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two NA Offices in the period.

Earlier the same day, the Lao delegation paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.