Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam, in an interview with Vietnam News Agency, said that the Lao leader’s choice of Vietnam as his first overseas destination following the successful national party congresses in both countries holds profound political and diplomatic significance, underscoring the exceptionally high level of political trust between the two Parties, States and their top leaders.

According to the Ambassador, Vietnam–Laos ties represent a special solidarity relationship that is rare in international relations, forged through shared struggles for national liberation and nurtured over generations by the leaders and peoples of both countries.

Against a backdrop of complex global and regional developments, both sides continue to regard the relationship of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion as a top priority in their respective foreign policies.

The visit follows the State visit by Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam to Laos in December 2025, during which the two sides agreed to elevate and further deepen their bilateral relationship, reflecting a shared vision, intertwined strategic interests and a long-term orientation toward sustainable, self-reliant and prosperous development.

Ambassador Tam stressed that strategic cohesion will serve as a foundation for advancing bilateral cooperation in a deeper and more substantive manner, particularly in aligning development visions and goals, policies and strategies, infrastructure connectivity and development spaces, as well as education, training and human resource development.

During the upcoming visit, senior leaders of the two Parties and States are expected to hold in-depth discussions to concretise cooperation across key pillars.

In political and diplomatic affairs, both sides will continue to strengthen political trust, maintain regular high-level exchanges and mechanisms, and expand theoretical exchanges and experience-sharing on Party building, political system development and socio-economic management.

In defence and security, the two countries will continue to regard this area as a vital pillar of cooperation, closely coordinating in the implementation of protocols and cooperation plans between their defence and public security ministries, ensuring peaceful and stable border management, and jointly combating transnational crime and non-traditional security challenges.

In economic cooperation, the two sides aim to achieve breakthroughs in trade, investment and infrastructure development, enhance connectivity in transport, energy, logistics, telecommunications and tourism, and implement high-impact flagship projects, thereby making economic cooperation a strategic pillar commensurate with the scale of the special Vietnam–Laos relationship.

In culture, education and people-to-people exchanges, both sides will continue to view these areas as a sustainable foundation of bilateral ties, with a focus on improving the quality of education cooperation, developing human resources and promoting exchanges among younger generations.

Ambassador Tam said that the Lao leader’s visit to Vietnam immediately after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam not only reflects continuity of tradition, but also demonstrates the long-term strategic stature of bilateral ties and their close linkage to the future development of both countries.

The visit is expected to generate new momentum for translating political commitments into concrete cooperation outcomes, thereby further deepening the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic alignment between Vietnam and Laos in an effective and sustainable manner.

Laos places top priority on relations with Vietnam, says ambassador

VOV.VN - The State visit to Vietnam by Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith on January 26–27, 2026 is expected to inject new momentum into bilateral cooperation and further deepen the strategic relationship between the two countries, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Erthavanh.