At the meeting co-chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the significant and comprehensive achievements made by the two Parties, the two States, and the peoples of both countries in recent years.

They voiced confidence that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, each country’s efforts in national renewal, development, and defence would continue to yield even greater results. The leaders affirmed that the longstanding friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic partnership between Vietnam and Laos would continue to deepen and expand.

Reviewing each country’s situation and bilateral cooperation, both sides maintained that political and diplomatic relations continue to enjoy high trust, serving as the core foundation and overall guidance for bilateral cooperation. Defence and security cooperation has been carried out closely, ensuring political stability, social order, and border security.

The two countries have coordinated effectively in combating transnational crime, safeguarding border security, and protecting each other’s strategic interests.

Progress has been made in economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Vietnam currently operates 267 ongoing projects in Laos with total registered capital of US$5.63 billion. In the first ten months of 2025, new Vietnamese investment in Laos reached US$566.1 million, focusing on clean energy, mining, and agriculture, areas where Laos holds advantages. Many projects are operating effectively, contributing to socio-economic development, generating jobs, increasing incomes, and boosting Laos’s public revenues.

Bilateral trade in the same period hit US$2.6 billion, up 50.4% year on year, with Vietnam recording a trade deficit of US$626.2 million.

Cooperation in education, training, science and technology, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and inter-ministerial and local collaboration has also been strengthened.

The two countries maintain close coordination at regional and multilateral forums, particularly ASEAN mechanisms, promoting solidarity and consensus on strategic issues.

Prime Minister Chinh emphasised that in the current context, both countries need a renewed determination, new approaches, and fresh momentum to drive joint development, while further strengthening and deepening the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, aiming to set a model example in international relations.

To foster bilateral relations, particularly following the recent high-level meeting between the two Parties, the two Prime Ministers agreed to immediately deepen the substance of the Vietnam–Laos relationship to new heights, under the guiding framework of “great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion.” Accordingly, political relations will remain vital, while defence–security and economic cooperation will serve as key pillars. Scientific, technological, and educational cooperation will be pursued as breakthroughs; business and people-to-people ties will form the foundation; and local collaboration will act as a driving force.

In agreement with Prime Minister Chinh, Prime Minister Siphandone stated that he would direct the Vietnam–Laos Intergovernmental Committee Subcommittee to achieve breakthrough progress and fully implement the agreements and high-level directives across all areas.

The Lao PM Siphandone encouraged Vietnamese businesses to invest in large-scale projects in Laos, promote connectivity in transportation and energy infrastructure, implement the Vientiane–Hanoi expressway, and enhance the efficiency of potash mining projects.

He reaffirmed Laos’ commitment to creating the most possible conditions for businesses to invest and operate effectively in line with Laos’ development priorities, particularly in high-value, clean agriculture and science and technology projects. He also proposed that both sides continue to improve the quality of human resource training, including establishing the Laos–Vietnam University, and developing vocational schools and educational institutions in border areas.

The two PMs agreed to further elevate strategic trust to a higher level, strengthen cooperation in defence and security, and achieve a breakthrough transformation in economic, trade, investment, and infrastructure cooperation. This includes promoting connectivity between the two economies and infrastructure systems, ensuring economic and energy security for each country, and addressing obstacles to maximise the effectiveness of bilateral programmes and projects.

In the immediate term, throughout 2026, both sides will focus on effectively implementing the Vietnam–Laos Joint Statements and the agreements signed at the 48th Vietnam–Laos Intergovernmental Committee meeting. They will adopt strong and practical measures to deepen political and diplomatic relations, reinforce the defence–security pillar, continue prioritising cooperation in education and training, and advance economic cooperation between the two countries.

The two countries aim to boost economic cooperation, targeting 10 - 15% growth in bilateral trade in 2026 compared to 2025, reaching US$5 billion, with a long-term goal of US$10 billion annually. Vietnamese enterprises will continue to invest in large-scale projects, particularly in high-tech agriculture, energy, mining, and infrastructure. The Lao government will adjust regulations on project timelines for hydropower and mining to facilitate greater efficiency in joint projects.

In education and training, Vietnam will continue providing 1,300 scholarships to Lao students annually, send teachers to teach Vietnamese, and participate in developing the Laos–Vietnam University and vocational schools in border areas to improve human resource quality. Both sides also pledged to maintain and enhance the effectiveness of inter-ministerial and local cooperation mechanisms, ensuring that projects are practical, efficient, and sustainable.

The meeting concluded with the signing of key documents, including the Vietnam–Laos Cooperation Agreement for 2026–2030, the 2026 Cooperation Plan, the Minutes of the 48th Intergovernmental Committee meeting, and the 2026 Education Cooperation Plan.

Party chief To Lam’s State visit opens new chapter in Vietnam–Laos relations

VOV.VN - General Secretary To Lam’s State visit to Laos on Dec. 1-2 marked a new chapter in the special Vietnam–Laos relationship, reaffirming the depth of solidarity, the growing strategic cohesion and the direction of comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and States, said Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung.